Altitude deviation. Overshoot in climb.

Attributes
ACN	125393
Time
Date	198910
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : orf
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : j209
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 72 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 280
ASRS Report	125393
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	125225
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Route klga-kfll filed altitude 350 route J209 orf, diw, AR7, osson arrival kfll. Both captain and first officer wearing headsets (custom ear pieces). Dca center previously cleared our flight to FL280. Upon sector (frequency change) change both of us believe we received a clearance to FL350. FL350 was set and VNAV (FMS) reselected. Passing 32,200 dca center asked 'to what altitude are you cleared'. Reply, 'xx to 350'. Controller 'I believe it was (I gave you) 310. I had traffic at 330'. Question 'were we close?' 'no, more than 20 mi.' it might have been a misunderstanding with flight (xx # and altitude.' supplemental information from acn 125225: I know we were definitely cleared to FL310 but also know that I missed a radio transmission because I was preoccupied looking for a map. My newness on the aircraft may have caused this preoccupation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION. OVERSHOOT IN CLIMB.

Narrative: ROUTE KLGA-KFLL FILED ALT 350 ROUTE J209 ORF, DIW, AR7, OSSON ARR KFLL. BOTH CAPT AND F/O WEARING HEADSETS (CUSTOM EAR PIECES). DCA CENTER PREVIOUSLY CLRED OUR FLT TO FL280. UPON SECTOR (FREQ CHANGE) CHANGE BOTH OF US BELIEVE WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO FL350. FL350 WAS SET AND VNAV (FMS) RESELECTED. PASSING 32,200 DCA CENTER ASKED 'TO WHAT ALT ARE YOU CLRED'. REPLY, 'XX TO 350'. CTLR 'I BELIEVE IT WAS (I GAVE YOU) 310. I HAD TFC AT 330'. QUESTION 'WERE WE CLOSE?' 'NO, MORE THAN 20 MI.' IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING WITH FLT (XX # AND ALT.' SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 125225: I KNOW WE WERE DEFINITELY CLRED TO FL310 BUT ALSO KNOW THAT I MISSED A RADIO XMISSION BECAUSE I WAS PREOCCUPIED LOOKING FOR A MAP. MY NEWNESS ON THE ACFT MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS PREOCCUPATION.

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.