Medium large transport given revised clearance to maintain 9000' while climbing past 8900'.

Attributes
ACN	120132
Time
Date	198908
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9400 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	120132
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On climbout while passing 8900 and climbing at over 3100 FPM on westerly heading, controller was very busy and told us to level at 9000. I told controller something like 'we're already through 9000', we will go back down'. The copilot as quickly as we could stopped the climb and started back down. We reached 9300-9400. While ddg the controller asked '...are you at 9000!' I said 'like I said, we went through 9000 we're coming back down!' he then told another aircraft to take a heading. We saw another aircraft at our 10 O'clock position turning way about 1000' above.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG GIVEN REVISED CLRNC TO MAINTAIN 9000' WHILE CLIMBING PAST 8900'.

Narrative: ON CLIMBOUT WHILE PASSING 8900 AND CLIMBING AT OVER 3100 FPM ON WESTERLY HDG, CTLR WAS VERY BUSY AND TOLD US TO LEVEL AT 9000. I TOLD CTLR SOMETHING LIKE 'WE'RE ALREADY THROUGH 9000', WE WILL GO BACK DOWN'. THE COPLT AS QUICKLY AS WE COULD STOPPED THE CLIMB AND STARTED BACK DOWN. WE REACHED 9300-9400. WHILE DDG THE CTLR ASKED '...ARE YOU AT 9000!' I SAID 'LIKE I SAID, WE WENT THROUGH 9000 WE'RE COMING BACK DOWN!' HE THEN TOLD ANOTHER ACFT TO TAKE A HDG. WE SAW ANOTHER ACFT AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK POSITION TURNING WAY ABOUT 1000' ABOVE.

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.