Narrative:

Air carrier X departs buf climbing to FL330 going to bdl. En route, the pilot requests FL370 with ZOB. ZOB calls my sector (rka) and makes the request with my radar associate, which he denies due to a heavy wbound flow at FL350. ZOB is told to stop X at FL330. At this time, I was involved with another conflict of 2 aircraft at FL350 on converging courses due to WX deviations. These 2 aircraft required immediate attention. During the time of this conflict, X checked on frequency out of FL322 for FL370. I did not copy the incorrect altitude as I was distraction by the previous situation. Upon noticing X climbing through FL340, I questioned the pilot and he stated he had a clearance to FL370. I immediately turned X to a 080 degree heading and issued a descent clearance. I received a readback, quickly followed by another voice questioning why he had to descend to FL280. I began to try to explain but realized I had no time and told X 'descend now to FL280 fly heading 080 degrees. Any further left turn would have put X in conflict with other aircraft. In my opinion, had the pilot complied with my clearance when it was initially issued, the 080 degree heading would have provided separation. X continued to climb and showed no indication of turning. I turned X further to a heading of 060 degrees and told him to expedite his descent. Again the pilot questioned the clearance. Air carrier Y (the wbound aircraft) was turned to a 260 degree heading and at that point separation was lost. X was then in conflict with several other wbound aircraft which required drastic vectors to maintain separation. X was again told to expedite descent. Again no readback, the response: 'what is going on?'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC ARTCC INTRAFAC COORD ACR X ASSIGNED WRONG ALT. ACR X NON ADHERENCE TO ATC INSTRUCTIONS HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y. SYS ERROR. PLTDEV.

Narrative: ACR X DEPARTS BUF CLBING TO FL330 GOING TO BDL. ENRTE, THE PLT REQUESTS FL370 WITH ZOB. ZOB CALLS MY SECTOR (RKA) AND MAKES THE REQUEST WITH MY RADAR ASSOCIATE, WHICH HE DENIES DUE TO A HVY WBOUND FLOW AT FL350. ZOB IS TOLD TO STOP X AT FL330. AT THIS TIME, I WAS INVOLVED WITH ANOTHER CONFLICT OF 2 ACFT AT FL350 ON CONVERGING COURSES DUE TO WX DEVS. THESE 2 ACFT REQUIRED IMMEDIATE ATTN. DURING THE TIME OF THIS CONFLICT, X CHKED ON FREQ OUT OF FL322 FOR FL370. I DID NOT COPY THE INCORRECT ALT AS I WAS DISTR BY THE PREVIOUS SIT. UPON NOTICING X CLBING THROUGH FL340, I QUESTIONED THE PLT AND HE STATED HE HAD A CLRNC TO FL370. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED X TO A 080 DEG HDG AND ISSUED A DSCNT CLRNC. I RECEIVED A READBACK, QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER VOICE QUESTIONING WHY HE HAD TO DSND TO FL280. I BEGAN TO TRY TO EXPLAIN BUT REALIZED I HAD NO TIME AND TOLD X 'DSND NOW TO FL280 FLY HDG 080 DEGS. ANY FURTHER L TURN WOULD HAVE PUT X IN CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT. IN MY OPINION, HAD THE PLT COMPLIED WITH MY CLRNC WHEN IT WAS INITIALLY ISSUED, THE 080 DEG HDG WOULD HAVE PROVIDED SEPARATION. X CONTINUED TO CLB AND SHOWED NO INDICATION OF TURNING. I TURNED X FURTHER TO A HDG OF 060 DEGS AND TOLD HIM TO EXPEDITE HIS DSCNT. AGAIN THE PLT QUESTIONED THE CLRNC. ACR Y (THE WBOUND ACFT) WAS TURNED TO A 260 DEG HDG AND AT THAT POINT SEPARATION WAS LOST. X WAS THEN IN CONFLICT WITH SEVERAL OTHER WBOUND ACFT WHICH REQUIRED DRASTIC VECTORS TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION. X WAS AGAIN TOLD TO EXPEDITE DSCNT. AGAIN NO READBACK, THE RESPONSE: 'WHAT IS GOING ON?'

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.