Air carrier medium large transport altitude deviation undershot overshot.

Attributes
ACN	160263
Time
Date	199010
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000
ASRS Report	160263
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Dca to cvg climb and step-climb (hold down) 5000', then 16000', then 22000', then 24000', then 'cleared to FL370,' by wash center. Haded off to indy and frequency extremely busy/hard to check in. Indy said maintain FL280. We were startled and said passing FL28.8 and cleared to FL370. They paused and said maintain FL310. (As it was, we filed for FL350 but were able FL370). We leveled FL310 and shortly later were cleared to FL350. Next day bwi-dfw climb out were cleared to FL350 when reaching FL310 FMS leveled off at FL310. This made us realize center had cleared us FL350 when we only filed FL310. We asked why? Answer was they showed us filed for FL350. We asked to maintain FL310 and did. Two days in a row, altitude confusion in the same sectors! Frequencys are too congested. Positive readback of clrncs possibly not monitored closely.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT DEVIATION UNDERSHOT OVERSHOT.

Narrative: DCA TO CVG CLB AND STEP-CLB (HOLD DOWN) 5000', THEN 16000', THEN 22000', THEN 24000', THEN 'CLRED TO FL370,' BY WASH CTR. HADED OFF TO INDY AND FREQ EXTREMELY BUSY/HARD TO CHK IN. INDY SAID MAINTAIN FL280. WE WERE STARTLED AND SAID PASSING FL28.8 AND CLRED TO FL370. THEY PAUSED AND SAID MAINTAIN FL310. (AS IT WAS, WE FILED FOR FL350 BUT WERE ABLE FL370). WE LEVELED FL310 AND SHORTLY LATER WERE CLRED TO FL350. NEXT DAY BWI-DFW CLBOUT WERE CLRED TO FL350 WHEN REACHING FL310 FMS LEVELED OFF AT FL310. THIS MADE US REALIZE CTR HAD CLRED US FL350 WHEN WE ONLY FILED FL310. WE ASKED WHY? ANSWER WAS THEY SHOWED US FILED FOR FL350. WE ASKED TO MAINTAIN FL310 AND DID. TWO DAYS IN A ROW, ALT CONFUSION IN THE SAME SECTORS! FREQS ARE TOO CONGESTED. POSITIVE READBACK OF CLRNCS POSSIBLY NOT MONITORED CLOSELY.

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.