Commuter light transport hears clearance of 180 as altitude change versus heading change. Altitude d...

Attributes
ACN	246091
Time
Date	199307
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : grw
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zme
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 330 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	246091
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were en route from memphis, tn, to jackson, ms, and just north of greenwood VORTAC. After just having leveled off at 16000 ft (our filed altitude) center called with instructions to fly heading 180 degrees. We, however, thought the instruction was to climb to FL180. This confusion was due to radio noise, and the fact that a heading of 180 degrees was just previously assigned by the same controller. While climbing through 16700 ft. The controller called asking us if we were climbing to FL180 and that we were told to fly heading 180 degrees. He then permitted the climb to continue to FL180 with no concern. There didn't appear to be any traffic conflict, simply a misunderstanding of communications. Although my captain read back to the controller that we were leaving 16000 ft for FL180, the controller apparently didn't catch the error until he saw the climb.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT HEARS CLRNC OF 180 AS ALT CHANGE VERSUS HDG CHANGE. ALTDEV.

Narrative: WE WERE ENRTE FROM MEMPHIS, TN, TO JACKSON, MS, AND JUST N OF GREENWOOD VORTAC. AFTER JUST HAVING LEVELED OFF AT 16000 FT (OUR FILED ALT) CTR CALLED WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO FLY HDG 180 DEGS. WE, HOWEVER, THOUGHT THE INSTRUCTION WAS TO CLB TO FL180. THIS CONFUSION WAS DUE TO RADIO NOISE, AND THE FACT THAT A HDG OF 180 DEGS WAS JUST PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED BY THE SAME CTLR. WHILE CLBING THROUGH 16700 FT. THE CTLR CALLED ASKING US IF WE WERE CLBING TO FL180 AND THAT WE WERE TOLD TO FLY HDG 180 DEGS. HE THEN PERMITTED THE CLB TO CONTINUE TO FL180 WITH NO CONCERN. THERE DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE ANY TFC CONFLICT, SIMPLY A MISUNDERSTANDING OF COMS. ALTHOUGH MY CAPT READ BACK TO THE CTLR THAT WE WERE LEAVING 16000 FT FOR FL180, THE CTLR APPARENTLY DIDN'T CATCH THE ERROR UNTIL HE SAW THE CLB.

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.

Commuter light transport hears clearance of 180 as altitude change versus heading change. Altitude deviation.