Less than standard separation between unknown atx due ZAB assigned wrong altitude or failed to coord...

Attributes
ACN	106167
Time
Date	198903
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : drk
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab artcc : zla tower : sfo
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : i92
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	106167
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Operational Deviation

Narrative:

On climb out from phx our aircraft was cleared to FL310. The first officer acknowledged the clearance and dialed 310 into our altitude alerter. While being handed off to ZLA the first officer was using the flight phone and I was flying and operating the radios. I called ZLA and gave the altitude we were climbing through and that we were climbing to FL310. A few minutes later as we passed FL285 the controller issued an 'immediate 40 degree right turn' and descent to FL280. After complying with the clearance we questioned the controller who said we had been cleared only to FL280. I don't know where the original error was made, but FL310 was read back twice, once by first officer to ZAB and once by me to ZLA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN UNKNOWN ATX DUE ZAB ASSIGNED WRONG ALT OR FAILED TO COORD WITH ZLA.

Narrative: ON CLB OUT FROM PHX OUR ACFT WAS CLRED TO FL310. THE F/O ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC AND DIALED 310 INTO OUR ALT ALERTER. WHILE BEING HANDED OFF TO ZLA THE F/O WAS USING THE FLT PHONE AND I WAS FLYING AND OPERATING THE RADIOS. I CALLED ZLA AND GAVE THE ALT WE WERE CLBING THROUGH AND THAT WE WERE CLBING TO FL310. A FEW MINUTES LATER AS WE PASSED FL285 THE CTLR ISSUED AN 'IMMEDIATE 40 DEG RIGHT TURN' AND DSCNT TO FL280. AFTER COMPLYING WITH THE CLRNC WE QUESTIONED THE CTLR WHO SAID WE HAD BEEN CLRED ONLY TO FL280. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE ORIGINAL ERROR WAS MADE, BUT FL310 WAS READ BACK TWICE, ONCE BY F/O TO ZAB AND ONCE BY ME TO ZLA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Less than standard separation between unknown atx due ZAB assigned wrong altitude or failed to coordination with ZLA.