Narrative:

While in the climb to 10000 ft we were given 16000 ft by fargo departure control. Soon after, we were handed off to ZMP and on check-in, stated we were climbing to 16000 ft. At about 13500 ft, center asked us what altitude were we climbing to. We stated 16000 ft. He then said 'I wish they (far departure) had told him that.' nothing else was said by us or center, and I assume he figured we were cleared to 12000 ft which is our filed altitude. We are both 100 percent positive we were cleared to 16000 ft and we placed that in the altitude alerter. Our conclusion is that departure relayed the wrong information on altitude. Both departure and center frequencys were fairly busy and pilots/controllers may think one thing, but mean another, when handing off. In the future, we will make sure that ATC confirms, and that it is totally clear to ATC/flight crew the altitude assigned while being handed off.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC TRACON INTERFAC COORD. THE ACR WAS FILED FOR A 12000 FT CRUISE ALT, BUT WERE ASSIGNED 16000 FT BY DEP CTL. THIS NEW ASSIGNED ALT WAS APPARENTLY NOT COORDINATED WITH ARTCC.

Narrative: WHILE IN THE CLB TO 10000 FT WE WERE GIVEN 16000 FT BY FARGO DEP CTL. SOON AFTER, WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ZMP AND ON CHK-IN, STATED WE WERE CLBING TO 16000 FT. AT ABOUT 13500 FT, CTR ASKED US WHAT ALT WERE WE CLBING TO. WE STATED 16000 FT. HE THEN SAID 'I WISH THEY (FAR DEP) HAD TOLD HIM THAT.' NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID BY US OR CTR, AND I ASSUME HE FIGURED WE WERE CLRED TO 12000 FT WHICH IS OUR FILED ALT. WE ARE BOTH 100 PERCENT POSITIVE WE WERE CLRED TO 16000 FT AND WE PLACED THAT IN THE ALT ALERTER. OUR CONCLUSION IS THAT DEP RELAYED THE WRONG INFO ON ALT. BOTH DEP AND CTR FREQS WERE FAIRLY BUSY AND PLTS/CTLRS MAY THINK ONE THING, BUT MEAN ANOTHER, WHEN HANDING OFF. IN THE FUTURE, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT ATC CONFIRMS, AND THAT IT IS TOTALLY CLR TO ATC/FLC THE ALT ASSIGNED WHILE BEING HANDED OFF.

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.