Narrative:

Departing bna we were assigned various altitudes (4000, 5000, 7000 then 14000 ft) on our way up to our cruising altitude of 15000 ft. After leveling at 7000 ft we were cleared to 14000 ft with a clearance out of 9000 ft to proceed direct tys. We were then handed off to mem center. After waiting for a number of mins for a chance to check-in due to frequency congestion, we were immediately asked our assigned altitude. We replied 14000 ft. He said departure usually hands off their traffic at 11000 ft. There was no traffic conflict and no other mention was made. Had the frequency not been so saturated, we would've been able to check-in sooner and therefore alleviated what could have been a serious incident. Also contributing to this event was my attention being distraction as I was navigating around cells in the area. This took me out of the 'loop' and prevented me from actually hearing the clearance to 14000 ft. The captain was sure of the 14000 ft clearance but the mem center controller sounded surprised and thus raised concern on our part.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR LTT ACFT OVERSHOT CLRNC CLB ALT DUE TO RADIO FREQ CONGESTION.

Narrative: DEPARTING BNA WE WERE ASSIGNED VARIOUS ALTS (4000, 5000, 7000 THEN 14000 FT) ON OUR WAY UP TO OUR CRUISING ALT OF 15000 FT. AFTER LEVELING AT 7000 FT WE WERE CLRED TO 14000 FT WITH A CLRNC OUT OF 9000 FT TO PROCEED DIRECT TYS. WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF TO MEM CTR. AFTER WAITING FOR A NUMBER OF MINS FOR A CHANCE TO CHK-IN DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION, WE WERE IMMEDIATELY ASKED OUR ASSIGNED ALT. WE REPLIED 14000 FT. HE SAID DEP USUALLY HANDS OFF THEIR TFC AT 11000 FT. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT AND NO OTHER MENTION WAS MADE. HAD THE FREQ NOT BEEN SO SATURATED, WE WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO CHK-IN SOONER AND THEREFORE ALLEVIATED WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS INCIDENT. ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THIS EVENT WAS MY ATTN BEING DISTR AS I WAS NAVIGATING AROUND CELLS IN THE AREA. THIS TOOK ME OUT OF THE 'LOOP' AND PREVENTED ME FROM ACTUALLY HEARING THE CLRNC TO 14000 FT. THE CAPT WAS SURE OF THE 14000 FT CLRNC BUT THE MEM CTR CTLR SOUNDED SURPRISED AND THUS RAISED CONCERN ON OUR PART.

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.