Altitude overshoot on climb for small aircraft departing ads.

Attributes
ACN	143976
Time
Date	199004
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ads
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	143967
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Prior to departure, flight was cleared to 2000', expect 6000' 10 mins after departure, maintain runway heading for radar vectors to first fix. After takeoff flight was cleared to contact departure control. Initial contact with departure control delayed due to heavy radio traffic and confusion between 2 other aircraft with similar call signs. Contact was made prior to reaching 2000' and 'passing through' altitude reported. Departure control acknowledged and pilot understood controller to say, 'cleared to 3000, heading 360 dgs,' which pilot repeated back to controller west/O acknowledgement. Lack of acknowledgement by controller did not seem unusual due to heavy radio traffic. Approximately 3 mins later controller queried pilot about altitude and 'through 2850'' was the reply. Controller stated limit was 2000', but to maintain present altitude and turn to 340 degrees. Pilot acknowledged. Corrective action: next time this pilot will not move from an altitude or heading until the controller recognizes the acknowledgement or repeats the clearance. Looks like 3 way communication is the answer--not just 2 way--instruction, acknowledgement, confirmation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OVERSHOOT ON CLIMB FOR SMA DEPARTING ADS.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEP, FLT WAS CLRED TO 2000', EXPECT 6000' 10 MINS AFTER DEP, MAINTAIN RWY HDG FOR RADAR VECTORS TO FIRST FIX. AFTER TKOF FLT WAS CLRED TO CONTACT DEP CTL. INITIAL CONTACT WITH DEP CTL DELAYED DUE TO HEAVY RADIO TFC AND CONFUSION BTWN 2 OTHER ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. CONTACT WAS MADE PRIOR TO REACHING 2000' AND 'PASSING THROUGH' ALT RPTED. DEP CTL ACKNOWLEDGED AND PLT UNDERSTOOD CTLR TO SAY, 'CLRED TO 3000, HDG 360 DGS,' WHICH PLT REPEATED BACK TO CTLR W/O ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. LACK OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BY CTLR DID NOT SEEM UNUSUAL DUE TO HEAVY RADIO TFC. APPROX 3 MINS LATER CTLR QUERIED PLT ABOUT ALT AND 'THROUGH 2850'' WAS THE REPLY. CTLR STATED LIMIT WAS 2000', BUT TO MAINTAIN PRESENT ALT AND TURN TO 340 DEGS. PLT ACKNOWLEDGED. CORRECTIVE ACTION: NEXT TIME THIS PLT WILL NOT MOVE FROM AN ALT OR HDG UNTIL THE CTLR RECOGNIZES THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OR REPEATS THE CLRNC. LOOKS LIKE 3 WAY COM IS THE ANSWER--NOT JUST 2 WAY--INSTRUCTION, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, CONFIRMATION.

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.