Narrative:

We were on the blue devil 1 departure from rdu when handed off from rdu departure control to washington center (frequency 123.4) center controller cleared our flight to 16000 ft, which was our filed cruising altitude. We started our climb and were subsequently handed off to atlanta center. On the handoff we informed center we were climbing to 16000 ft. Atlanta (frequency 128.8) accepted the handoff. Upon passing 14700 ft in our climb, atlanta queried us as to why we had not leveled off at 14000 ft. We informed center we had been cleared to 16000 ft. Center told us to descend back to 14000 ft for crossing traffic. I queried the controller as to where this traffic was located. Controller advised us that traffic was 15 mi away, and additional traffic was above and behind us at 16000 and traveling much faster than we were. We proceeded to descend and level at 14000 ft in less than 60 seconds. There appeared, from our perspective, to have been no violation of separation clearance. It appears that there was a breakdown in communication between washington and atlanta centers. Supplemental information from acn 178679: upon contacting atlanta on 128.80, I said, 'hello atlanta, (aircraft call sign) with you, climbing to 1- 6000.' she acknowledged this and went on to talk to several other aircraft. She was very busy dealing with traffic and en route WX (everyone wanted to deviate l-r, etc).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPERATIONAL DEV AS COMMUTER FLT WAS CLEARED TO CLB TO HIGHER ALT THAN RECEIVING CTLR EXPECTED.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE BLUE DEVIL 1 DEP FROM RDU WHEN HANDED OFF FROM RDU DEP CTL TO WASHINGTON CENTER (FREQ 123.4) CENTER CTLR CLRED OUR FLT TO 16000 FT, WHICH WAS OUR FILED CRUISING ALT. WE STARTED OUR CLB AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY HANDED OFF TO ATLANTA CENTER. ON THE HDOF WE INFORMED CENTER WE WERE CLBING TO 16000 FT. ATLANTA (FREQ 128.8) ACCEPTED THE HDOF. UPON PASSING 14700 FT IN OUR CLB, ATLANTA QUERIED US AS TO WHY WE HAD NOT LEVELED OFF AT 14000 FT. WE INFORMED CENTER WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 16000 FT. CENTER TOLD US TO DSND BACK TO 14000 FT FOR XING TFC. I QUERIED THE CTLR AS TO WHERE THIS TFC WAS LOCATED. CTLR ADVISED US THAT TFC WAS 15 MI AWAY, AND ADDITIONAL TFC WAS ABOVE AND BEHIND US AT 16000 AND TRAVELING MUCH FASTER THAN WE WERE. WE PROCEEDED TO DSND AND LEVEL AT 14000 FT IN LESS THAN 60 SECONDS. THERE APPEARED, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, TO HAVE BEEN NO VIOLATION OF SEPARATION CLRNC. IT APPEARS THAT THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN IN COM BTWN WASHINGTON AND ATLANTA CENTERS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 178679: UPON CONTACTING ATLANTA ON 128.80, I SAID, 'HELLO ATLANTA, (ACFT CALL SIGN) WITH YOU, CLBING TO 1- 6000.' SHE ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AND WENT ON TO TALK TO SEVERAL OTHER ACFT. SHE WAS VERY BUSY DEALING WITH TFC AND ENRTE WX (EVERYONE WANTED TO DEVIATE L-R, ETC).

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.