Foreign language problem air carrier X climb to wrong altitude.

Attributes
ACN	282107
Time
Date	199409
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gua
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : mggt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 3100
ASRS Report	282107
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 35000 vertical : 1200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Air carrier X from gua to dfw. Our departure clearance was to climb to FL390. Just prior to takeoff tower also told us to climb to FL390. After takeoff we reported to departure control we were climbing to FL390. They said 'roger, report out of 11000 ft.' we did. The next transmission from departure control is where the problem starts. The captain and I both understood the controller to say -- 'X, report out of 17000 ft, and climb to FL390.' this is how I read it back with no additional response from departure control. At 17000 ft I was attempting to make the report, but due to radio traffic I made the call at approximately 17700 ft, and I announced the call as 'X climbing out of 18000 ft,' since we were approaching 18000 ft.' departure control said 'X you were told to maintain 17000 ft.' I have not been an advocate of TCASII until that day -- but it really worked for us. The captain had already spotted the traffic ahead of us and began to level. He immediately descended back to 17000 ft. Departure said our traffic had been cleared to 18000 ft. At our highest point -- approximately 17000 ft our traffic was still approximately 1200-1500 ft above us and 5-7 mi ahead.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROB ACR X CLB TO WRONG ALT.

Narrative: ACR X FROM GUA TO DFW. OUR DEP CLRNC WAS TO CLB TO FL390. JUST PRIOR TO TKOF TWR ALSO TOLD US TO CLB TO FL390. AFTER TKOF WE RPTED TO DEP CTL WE WERE CLBING TO FL390. THEY SAID 'ROGER, RPT OUT OF 11000 FT.' WE DID. THE NEXT XMISSION FROM DEP CTL IS WHERE THE PROB STARTS. THE CAPT AND I BOTH UNDERSTOOD THE CTLR TO SAY -- 'X, RPT OUT OF 17000 FT, AND CLB TO FL390.' THIS IS HOW I READ IT BACK WITH NO ADDITIONAL RESPONSE FROM DEP CTL. AT 17000 FT I WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE THE RPT, BUT DUE TO RADIO TFC I MADE THE CALL AT APPROX 17700 FT, AND I ANNOUNCED THE CALL AS 'X CLBING OUT OF 18000 FT,' SINCE WE WERE APCHING 18000 FT.' DEP CTL SAID 'X YOU WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN 17000 FT.' I HAVE NOT BEEN AN ADVOCATE OF TCASII UNTIL THAT DAY -- BUT IT REALLY WORKED FOR US. THE CAPT HAD ALREADY SPOTTED THE TFC AHEAD OF US AND BEGAN TO LEVEL. HE IMMEDIATELY DSNDED BACK TO 17000 FT. DEP SAID OUR TFC HAD BEEN CLRED TO 18000 FT. AT OUR HIGHEST POINT -- APPROX 17000 FT OUR TFC WAS STILL APPROX 1200-1500 FT ABOVE US AND 5-7 MI AHEAD.

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.