An air carrier medium large transport freighter flight crew climbed above their assigned altitude when the first officer misread the clearance. The flight crew blames fatigue.

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Attributes
ACN	380780
Time
Date	199709
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : akn
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : zan
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 238 flight time total : 12890 flight time type : 4890
ASRS Report	380780
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On start up at king salmon, the first officer called for the clearance and WX for pail while I was getting settled. I didn't hear either directly, but understood we were cleared as filed and the WX was still good. We departed and climbing through 1000 ft I asked the first officer what altitude we were cleared to. He referenced his notes and told me 7000 ft. As we were climbing through 6200 ft center asked what altitude we were going to. We responded 7000 ft. Center informed us we had been cleared to 5000 ft then asked whether we preferred 7000 ft as we were already at 6200 ft. We accepted 7000 ft. One factor I believe was crew fatigue. We had been on duty since AM00. This was our 5TH stop and the loads had been difficult all day (we load). We had been trying to depart pakn before the main runway closed and got to pail while current WX was still available. When the first officer copied the clearance and WX he wrote it: 1l1 af 5.0, 1l1 09012 7 110 915 2976. When I asked what altitude we were re-cleared to, he glanced at the note and told me 7000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG FREIGHTER FLC CLBED ABOVE THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THE FO MISREAD THE CLRNC. THE FLC BLAMES FATIGUE.

Narrative: ON START UP AT KING SALMON, THE FO CALLED FOR THE CLRNC AND WX FOR PAIL WHILE I WAS GETTING SETTLED. I DIDN'T HEAR EITHER DIRECTLY, BUT UNDERSTOOD WE WERE CLRED AS FILED AND THE WX WAS STILL GOOD. WE DEPARTED AND CLBING THROUGH 1000 FT I ASKED THE FO WHAT ALT WE WERE CLRED TO. HE REFED HIS NOTES AND TOLD ME 7000 FT. AS WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 6200 FT CTR ASKED WHAT ALT WE WERE GOING TO. WE RESPONDED 7000 FT. CTR INFORMED US WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 5000 FT THEN ASKED WHETHER WE PREFERRED 7000 FT AS WE WERE ALREADY AT 6200 FT. WE ACCEPTED 7000 FT. ONE FACTOR I BELIEVE WAS CREW FATIGUE. WE HAD BEEN ON DUTY SINCE AM00. THIS WAS OUR 5TH STOP AND THE LOADS HAD BEEN DIFFICULT ALL DAY (WE LOAD). WE HAD BEEN TRYING TO DEPART PAKN BEFORE THE MAIN RWY CLOSED AND GOT TO PAIL WHILE CURRENT WX WAS STILL AVAILABLE. WHEN THE FO COPIED THE CLRNC AND WX HE WROTE IT: 1L1 AF 5.0, 1L1 09012 7 110 915 2976. WHEN I ASKED WHAT ALT WE WERE RE-CLRED TO, HE GLANCED AT THE NOTE AND TOLD ME 7000 FT.

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.