Altitude deviation. Overshoot in climb.

Attributes
ACN	133135
Time
Date	199001
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dsm
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dsm tower : mry
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 5200 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	133135
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	133136
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft involved was an light transport aircraft climbing out of dsm on runway heading, 10000' assigned. Higher altitude requested, standby given by controller. We were then given a heading of 230 degrees. We mistook this for FL230, and began a climb. At 14000' controller then cleared us for FL230. There were no other aircraft in the area. Contributing factors: 1) we asked for higher and were expected FL230, as this was our visibility clearance out of dsm. When given a heading of 230 degrees, the controller should have told us to maintain heading to avoid confusion. 2) I was the non-flying crew member and read back 230 west/O saying 'heading' or 'flight level.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION. OVERSHOOT IN CLIMB.

Narrative: ACFT INVOLVED WAS AN LTT ACFT CLBING OUT OF DSM ON RWY HDG, 10000' ASSIGNED. HIGHER ALT REQUESTED, STANDBY GIVEN BY CTLR. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A HDG OF 230 DEGS. WE MISTOOK THIS FOR FL230, AND BEGAN A CLB. AT 14000' CTLR THEN CLRED US FOR FL230. THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) WE ASKED FOR HIGHER AND WERE EXPECTED FL230, AS THIS WAS OUR VIS CLRNC OUT OF DSM. WHEN GIVEN A HDG OF 230 DEGS, THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE TOLD US TO MAINTAIN HDG TO AVOID CONFUSION. 2) I WAS THE NON-FLYING CREW MEMBER AND READ BACK 230 W/O SAYING 'HDG' OR 'FLT LEVEL.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.