Narrative:

IFR flight plan was on file for a flight from sba to smo at 11000 ft. After a normal takeoff, aircraft was cleared to a heading of 140 degrees and 8000 ft by santa barbara departure which was normal (crew operates repeatedly from this airport). Aircraft was then cleared to 'turn left 080 degrees, climb and maintain 14000 ft.' puzzled. We carefully read back '080 degrees climb to 14000 ft.' no correction was issued by the controller. We were then told to contact ZLA. On initial callup, PNF advised we were at approximately 9000 ft climbing to 14000 ft. No correction was issued. We continued to climb to our assigned altitude. At 13600 ft, center controller called 'descend and maintain 11000 ft -- your assigned altitude was 11000 ft.' 'negative' we responded. 'We were assigned 14000 ft.' 'descend to 11000 ft report out of 12000 ft -- traffic at 10 O'clock 13800 ft descending to 13000 ft.' apparently, we had been allowed to conflict with traffic because of 3 controller errors. The departure controller assigned an incorrect altitude (sba is an ATC training facility), then missed the opportunity to correct the error during the readback. Then the center controller missed an opportunity to correct the mistake when we checked in. Frankly, I resent the fact that with the current enforcement environment, I feel compelled to file a NASA report for this incident even though it was, in my opinion, purely a controller error. Nevertheless, if I had it to do over, I would question the clearance to 14000 ft since we had filed 11000 ft and sba is a training facility. I have once again been reminded to question authority/authorized.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A CORP JET OVERSHOT CLB ALT DURING DEP DUE TO POSSIBLE ATC OPERROR IN DEP CLRNC.

Narrative: IFR FLT PLAN WAS ON FILE FOR A FLT FROM SBA TO SMO AT 11000 FT. AFTER A NORMAL TKOF, ACFT WAS CLRED TO A HDG OF 140 DEGS AND 8000 FT BY SANTA BARBARA DEP WHICH WAS NORMAL (CREW OPERATES REPEATEDLY FROM THIS ARPT). ACFT WAS THEN CLRED TO 'TURN L 080 DEGS, CLB AND MAINTAIN 14000 FT.' PUZZLED. WE CAREFULLY READ BACK '080 DEGS CLB TO 14000 FT.' NO CORRECTION WAS ISSUED BY THE CTLR. WE WERE THEN TOLD TO CONTACT ZLA. ON INITIAL CALLUP, PNF ADVISED WE WERE AT APPROX 9000 FT CLBING TO 14000 FT. NO CORRECTION WAS ISSUED. WE CONTINUED TO CLB TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT. AT 13600 FT, CTR CTLR CALLED 'DSND AND MAINTAIN 11000 FT -- YOUR ASSIGNED ALT WAS 11000 FT.' 'NEGATIVE' WE RESPONDED. 'WE WERE ASSIGNED 14000 FT.' 'DSND TO 11000 FT RPT OUT OF 12000 FT -- TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK 13800 FT DSNDING TO 13000 FT.' APPARENTLY, WE HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO CONFLICT WITH TFC BECAUSE OF 3 CTLR ERRORS. THE DEP CTLR ASSIGNED AN INCORRECT ALT (SBA IS AN ATC TRAINING FACILITY), THEN MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT THE ERROR DURING THE READBACK. THEN THE CTR CTLR MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT THE MISTAKE WHEN WE CHKED IN. FRANKLY, I RESENT THE FACT THAT WITH THE CURRENT ENFORCEMENT ENVIRONMENT, I FEEL COMPELLED TO FILE A NASA RPT FOR THIS INCIDENT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS, IN MY OPINION, PURELY A CTLR ERROR. NEVERTHELESS, IF I HAD IT TO DO OVER, I WOULD QUESTION THE CLRNC TO 14000 FT SINCE WE HAD FILED 11000 FT AND SBA IS A TRAINING FACILITY. I HAVE ONCE AGAIN BEEN REMINDED TO QUESTION AUTH.

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.