Air carrier flight crew told to maintain altitude on check in with new controller, because aircraft ...

Attributes
ACN	125412
Time
Date	198910
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cew
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	125412
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft was level at FL310, awaiting clearance to our filed altitude of FL350. ZJX issued a frequency change and said to expect higher from the next controller. Copilot checked in on the new frequency and was told to maintain FL310, as there was an aircraft nearby at FL330. Captain misunderstood this communication and started a climb to FL330. Copilot noted this erroneous action at FL317 and announced same to the captain, who descended quickly back to FL310 while asking copilot about the misunderstood clearance. ZJX made no comment about the altitude deviation and we did not volunteer any information about it to the center. After leveling later at FL350 we discussed the events that had just happened. The following items were found to have been an influence: 1) all crew members were expecting climb clearance and were 'spring-loaded' to initiate climb. 2) upon checking in on the new frequency, copilot touched the altitude reminder as if to set in a new altitude. Captain saw this as further reinforcement of his misunderstood clearance to climb. 3) no crew member could recall that the altitude alert light or horn had activated passing FL315 as they should have.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW TOLD TO MAINTAIN ALT ON CHECK IN WITH NEW CTLR, BECAUSE ACFT AT HIGHER ALT. FLT CREW BEGAN CLIMB TO STATED ALT.

Narrative: ACFT WAS LEVEL AT FL310, AWAITING CLRNC TO OUR FILED ALT OF FL350. ZJX ISSUED A FREQ CHANGE AND SAID TO EXPECT HIGHER FROM THE NEXT CTLR. COPLT CHECKED IN ON THE NEW FREQ AND WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN FL310, AS THERE WAS AN ACFT NEARBY AT FL330. CAPT MISUNDERSTOOD THIS COM AND STARTED A CLIMB TO FL330. COPLT NOTED THIS ERRONEOUS ACTION AT FL317 AND ANNOUNCED SAME TO THE CAPT, WHO DESCENDED QUICKLY BACK TO FL310 WHILE ASKING COPLT ABOUT THE MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC. ZJX MADE NO COMMENT ABOUT THE ALT DEVIATION AND WE DID NOT VOLUNTEER ANY INFO ABOUT IT TO THE CENTER. AFTER LEVELING LATER AT FL350 WE DISCUSSED THE EVENTS THAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE FOUND TO HAVE BEEN AN INFLUENCE: 1) ALL CREW MEMBERS WERE EXPECTING CLIMB CLRNC AND WERE 'SPRING-LOADED' TO INITIATE CLIMB. 2) UPON CHECKING IN ON THE NEW FREQ, COPLT TOUCHED THE ALT REMINDER AS IF TO SET IN A NEW ALT. CAPT SAW THIS AS FURTHER REINFORCEMENT OF HIS MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC TO CLIMB. 3) NO CREW MEMBER COULD RECALL THAT THE ALT ALERT LIGHT OR HORN HAD ACTIVATED PASSING FL315 AS THEY SHOULD HAVE.

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.

Air carrier flight crew told to maintain altitude on check in with new controller, because aircraft at higher altitude. Flight crew began climb to stated altitude.