Altitude deviation due to misunderstood clearance.

Attributes
ACN	303062
Time
Date	199504
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bpr
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	303062
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	302863
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Holding instructions at ryann issued by ZFW. Captain flying understood and set FL240 for crossing holding fix. During receipt of instructions first officer was on interphone with flight attendant concerning ACARS message. Terminated conversation in interphone to respond to clearance. Captain set FL240 since first officer had both hands full. Captain confirmed FL240 with first officer. Passing FL260 ZFW said cross ryann at FL280. It soon became obvious that ZFW intended original crossing at FL280. A climb to FL280 was completed. At frequency change after holding was completed ZFW was asked if the altitude was a problem to which he responded no but would have been had he not caught it. No other aircraft were visible within 10 mi on TCASII.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV DUE TO MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC.

Narrative: HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AT RYANN ISSUED BY ZFW. CAPT FLYING UNDERSTOOD AND SET FL240 FOR XING HOLDING FIX. DURING RECEIPT OF INSTRUCTIONS FO WAS ON INTERPHONE WITH FLT ATTENDANT CONCERNING ACARS MESSAGE. TERMINATED CONVERSATION IN INTERPHONE TO RESPOND TO CLRNC. CAPT SET FL240 SINCE FO HAD BOTH HANDS FULL. CAPT CONFIRMED FL240 WITH FO. PASSING FL260 ZFW SAID CROSS RYANN AT FL280. IT SOON BECAME OBVIOUS THAT ZFW INTENDED ORIGINAL XING AT FL280. A CLB TO FL280 WAS COMPLETED. AT FREQ CHANGE AFTER HOLDING WAS COMPLETED ZFW WAS ASKED IF THE ALT WAS A PROB TO WHICH HE RESPONDED NO BUT WOULD HAVE BEEN HAD HE NOT CAUGHT IT. NO OTHER ACFT WERE VISIBLE WITHIN 10 MI ON TCASII.

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.