Narrative:

On climb, given heading 090 degrees, 7000 ft. I read back clearance and misread call sign. I hesitated a moment to think of what I had said, the controller issued a turn and traffic while I was distraction. I reacted to catch up by moving heading bug. First officer pointed to altitude alerter and said he gave us 10000 ft. I changed altitude, and looked down to identify traffic on TCASII prior to confirming altitude. I noticed closing/converging target and pointed out traffic, immediately called controller and reported TCASII alert. We descended from 8600 ft and controller reconfirmed he had given us 7000 ft and turned us to 020 degrees. When he was asked if conflict, no -- not closer than 3 mi. Contributing factors: 1) workload, WX on radar. 2) controller exchange. 3) call sign, close to most departure altitudes. 4) misstatement of call sign and subsequent confusion. 5) changing altitude alert prior to confirming altitude assignment. Result: 1) never less than 1200 ft separation vertically. 2) horizontal separation 2+ mi (controller said 3 mi). 3) altitude deviation 1600 ft by altimeter.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG CLRED 090 DEGS, CLB 7000 FT. CONFUSION ON CALL SIGN. CTLR ISSUED VECTOR AND FO, PF, THOUGHT IT WAS ALT 10000 FT. SAW TFC ON TCASII AND ADVISED CTLR WHO REMINDED THE CREW THEY WERE ONLY CLRED TO 7000 FT. NO CONFLICT. 12000 FT VERTLY AND 2 MI HORIZ.

Narrative: ON CLB, GIVEN HDG 090 DEGS, 7000 FT. I READ BACK CLRNC AND MISREAD CALL SIGN. I HESITATED A MOMENT TO THINK OF WHAT I HAD SAID, THE CTLR ISSUED A TURN AND TFC WHILE I WAS DISTR. I REACTED TO CATCH UP BY MOVING HDG BUG. FO POINTED TO ALT ALERTER AND SAID HE GAVE US 10000 FT. I CHANGED ALT, AND LOOKED DOWN TO IDENT TFC ON TCASII PRIOR TO CONFIRMING ALT. I NOTICED CLOSING/CONVERGING TARGET AND POINTED OUT TFC, IMMEDIATELY CALLED CTLR AND RPTED TCASII ALERT. WE DSNDED FROM 8600 FT AND CTLR RECONFIRMED HE HAD GIVEN US 7000 FT AND TURNED US TO 020 DEGS. WHEN HE WAS ASKED IF CONFLICT, NO -- NOT CLOSER THAN 3 MI. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) WORKLOAD, WX ON RADAR. 2) CTLR EXCHANGE. 3) CALL SIGN, CLOSE TO MOST DEP ALTS. 4) MISSTATEMENT OF CALL SIGN AND SUBSEQUENT CONFUSION. 5) CHANGING ALT ALERT PRIOR TO CONFIRMING ALT ASSIGNMENT. RESULT: 1) NEVER LESS THAN 1200 FT SEPARATION VERTLY. 2) HORIZ SEPARATION 2+ MI (CTLR SAID 3 MI). 3) ALTDEV 1600 FT BY ALTIMETER.

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.