Flight crew of widebody transport overshot climb altitude due to not hearing the assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	299384
Time
Date	199503
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sea
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 21000 msl bound upper : 21500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 18000
ASRS Report	299384
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight was cleared to FL370. During the climb ATC called the captain. Did not understand clearly what the transmission was. The copilot responded, 'flight number and roger' as if responding to TA. As we went through FL210 the controller asked if we were leveling FL210. The captain responded, 'first time we've heard anything about it.' the controller said he had told us to maintain FL210. We never acknowledged FL210 and hadn't set it in the altitude selection window. Controller gave another aircraft some instructions because of our miscoms.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF WDB OVERSHOT CLB ALT DUE TO NOT HEARING THE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: FLT WAS CLRED TO FL370. DURING THE CLB ATC CALLED THE CAPT. DID NOT UNDERSTAND CLRLY WHAT THE XMISSION WAS. THE COPLT RESPONDED, 'FLT NUMBER AND ROGER' AS IF RESPONDING TO TA. AS WE WENT THROUGH FL210 THE CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE LEVELING FL210. THE CAPT RESPONDED, 'FIRST TIME WE'VE HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT IT.' THE CTLR SAID HE HAD TOLD US TO MAINTAIN FL210. WE NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED FL210 AND HADN'T SET IT IN THE ALT SELECTION WINDOW. CTLR GAVE ANOTHER ACFT SOME INSTRUCTIONS BECAUSE OF OUR MISCOMS.

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.