Altitude deviation on climb. Flight crew missed amended clearance altitude change.

Attributes
ACN	318490
Time
Date	199510
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hvq
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 30100
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 9000
ASRS Report	318490
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	318327
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation non adherence other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Given clearance to climb to FL310 by ATC, switched frequency and told to amend altitude to FL290 due to traffic 10 O'clock. PNF (captain) acknowledged FL290 and 'light' in sight and asked controller if FL290 would be final altitude. Controller said no, that past traffic, could expect climb. For some unknown reason copilot did not hear the 'amend' and captain did not indicate via the 'point' to the new altitude. Center called when aircraft was passing FL300. Autoplt was on and altitude was set for FL310. Captain immediately disconnected autoplt and began descent back to FL290. This was flight xyz pit-tys. In my opinion there was no near-miss. We did receive a TCASII alert, 'traffic' and I had the traffic above and at my (approximately) 10 O'clock position. The other aircraft reported that there was 'no problem.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ON CLB. FLC MISSED AMENDED CLRNC ALT CHANGE.

Narrative: GIVEN CLRNC TO CLB TO FL310 BY ATC, SWITCHED FREQ AND TOLD TO AMEND ALT TO FL290 DUE TO TFC 10 O'CLOCK. PNF (CAPT) ACKNOWLEDGED FL290 AND 'LIGHT' IN SIGHT AND ASKED CTLR IF FL290 WOULD BE FINAL ALT. CTLR SAID NO, THAT PAST TFC, COULD EXPECT CLB. FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON COPLT DID NOT HEAR THE 'AMEND' AND CAPT DID NOT INDICATE VIA THE 'POINT' TO THE NEW ALT. CTR CALLED WHEN ACFT WAS PASSING FL300. AUTOPLT WAS ON AND ALT WAS SET FOR FL310. CAPT IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND BEGAN DSCNT BACK TO FL290. THIS WAS FLT XYZ PIT-TYS. IN MY OPINION THERE WAS NO NEAR-MISS. WE DID RECEIVE A TCASII ALERT, 'TFC' AND I HAD THE TFC ABOVE AND AT MY (APPROX) 10 O'CLOCK POS. THE OTHER ACFT RPTED THAT THERE WAS 'NO PROB.'

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.