Error in altitude assignment.

Attributes
ACN	293615
Time
Date	199501
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : seg
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob artcc : zny artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 32
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 3900 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	293615
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

In the climb, ZOB told us to switch to ZNY and climb to FL180. We checked in with ZNY and told them we were climbing through 14000 ft to FL180. As we were leveling off at FL180 ZNY came back and asked us what altitude we were at. He then told us he was not aware that we had been cleared to FL180 and told us descend to 17000 ft immediately. What caused the problem: we were filed at 17000 ft. I feel that ZOB must have given us FL180 in error and ZNY didn't catch it when we checked in. It is not uncommon to get a different altitude then the filed altitude so we didn't question FL180. Prevent recurrence: better communication on handoff between ctrs. Controllers listen up when we check in. Pilots speak up when checking in so the controller has no excuse for not hearing us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERROR IN ALT ASSIGNMENT.

Narrative: IN THE CLB, ZOB TOLD US TO SWITCH TO ZNY AND CLB TO FL180. WE CHKED IN WITH ZNY AND TOLD THEM WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 14000 FT TO FL180. AS WE WERE LEVELING OFF AT FL180 ZNY CAME BACK AND ASKED US WHAT ALT WE WERE AT. HE THEN TOLD US HE WAS NOT AWARE THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL180 AND TOLD US DSND TO 17000 FT IMMEDIATELY. WHAT CAUSED THE PROB: WE WERE FILED AT 17000 FT. I FEEL THAT ZOB MUST HAVE GIVEN US FL180 IN ERROR AND ZNY DIDN'T CATCH IT WHEN WE CHKED IN. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO GET A DIFFERENT ALT THEN THE FILED ALT SO WE DIDN'T QUESTION FL180. PREVENT RECURRENCE: BETTER COM ON HDOF BTWN CTRS. CTLRS LISTEN UP WHEN WE CHK IN. PLTS SPEAK UP WHEN CHKING IN SO THE CTLR HAS NO EXCUSE FOR NOT HEARING US.

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.