An air carrier medium large transport flight crew responded to another flight's clearance and climbed above their assigned altitude. The alert ARTCC controller sees the potential conflict and has the flight crew descend back to their correct altitude.

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Attributes
ACN	374170
Time
Date	199707
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
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
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	374170
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	373736
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During climb out on the gorman departure from lax, we were cleared to 17000 ft. As we approached 17000 ft, both the captain and I thought we heard a clearance to continue to FL180, and the captain acknowledged the clearance. In actuality, this was for another aircraft, but the controller never corrected our mistake. As we passed 17600 ft, we got a TCASII alert at 2 O'clock and 8 NM and visually acquired the aircraft. At the same time the controller asked us to confirm we were at 17000 ft. We replied, negative, we were cleared to FL180. We were then directed to return to 17000 ft and did so. The other aircraft was in sight the entire time and no evasive action was necessary.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG FLC RESPONDED TO ANOTHER FLT'S CLRNC AND CLBED ABOVE THEIR ASSIGNED ALT. THE ALERT ARTCC CTLR SEES THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT AND HAS THE FLC DSND BACK TO THEIR CORRECT ALT.

Narrative: DURING CLBOUT ON THE GORMAN DEP FROM LAX, WE WERE CLRED TO 17000 FT. AS WE APCHED 17000 FT, BOTH THE CAPT AND I THOUGHT WE HEARD A CLRNC TO CONTINUE TO FL180, AND THE CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC. IN ACTUALITY, THIS WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT, BUT THE CTLR NEVER CORRECTED OUR MISTAKE. AS WE PASSED 17600 FT, WE GOT A TCASII ALERT AT 2 O'CLOCK AND 8 NM AND VISUALLY ACQUIRED THE ACFT. AT THE SAME TIME THE CTLR ASKED US TO CONFIRM WE WERE AT 17000 FT. WE REPLIED, NEGATIVE, WE WERE CLRED TO FL180. WE WERE THEN DIRECTED TO RETURN TO 17000 FT AND DID SO. THE OTHER ACFT WAS IN SIGHT THE ENTIRE TIME AND NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS NECESSARY.

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.