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An air carrier MD80 flight crew climbs above their assigned altitude when they apparently copy another MD80's clearance. Apparently no conflict.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 343221 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199607 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : iah |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 17500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | SA-227 AC Metro III |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 7000 |
| ASRS Report | 343221 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 4200 |
| ASRS Report | 342140 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 42000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
Level at 15000 ft, 300 KTS assigned. Houston gave us traffic (metropolitan) at 11:30 O'clock and 10 mi. The metropolitan called us in sight. We were given a 20 degree heading change away from him and he was given a heading change away from us. We called the traffic and then, a min later center gave a climb to FL230. We responded with a readback to FL230. As we climbed through 17500 ft (?) center asked us our altitude and said he hadn't thought he'd cleared us up. We both thought we had been cleared and remembered reading back. He then gave us FL230 and on course. I think he didn't realize he'd done it or he may have meant someone else and gave our call sign. He also then changed it to FL220 afterwards. We often ask for 'higher than filed' on sat or aus legs so I didn't think twice about receiving FL230 initially. Estimate closest approach at 7-8 mi. We were past 'abeam' at climb initiation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR MD80 FLC CLBS ABOVE THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THEY APPARENTLY COPY ANOTHER MD80'S CLRNC. APPARENTLY NO CONFLICT.
Narrative: LEVEL AT 15000 FT, 300 KTS ASSIGNED. HOUSTON GAVE US TFC (METRO) AT 11:30 O'CLOCK AND 10 MI. THE METRO CALLED US IN SIGHT. WE WERE GIVEN A 20 DEG HDG CHANGE AWAY FROM HIM AND HE WAS GIVEN A HEADING CHANGE AWAY FROM US. WE CALLED THE TFC AND THEN, A MIN LATER CTR GAVE A CLB TO FL230. WE RESPONDED WITH A READBACK TO FL230. AS WE CLBED THROUGH 17500 FT (?) CTR ASKED US OUR ALT AND SAID HE HADN'T THOUGHT HE'D CLRED US UP. WE BOTH THOUGHT WE HAD BEEN CLRED AND REMEMBERED READING BACK. HE THEN GAVE US FL230 AND ON COURSE. I THINK HE DIDN'T REALIZE HE'D DONE IT OR HE MAY HAVE MEANT SOMEONE ELSE AND GAVE OUR CALL SIGN. HE ALSO THEN CHANGED IT TO FL220 AFTERWARDS. WE OFTEN ASK FOR 'HIGHER THAN FILED' ON SAT OR AUS LEGS SO I DIDN'T THINK TWICE ABOUT RECEIVING FL230 INITIALLY. ESTIMATE CLOSEST APCH AT 7-8 MI. WE WERE PAST 'ABEAM' AT CLB INITIATION.
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.