Falcon 10 cpr aircraft had miscom with ATC regarding cleared altitude. Reporter first officer says he read back FL350 and set it in the altitude alert, but climbing through FL330 the controller intervened and told them to stay at FL330. Postflt review with ATC revealed the communication was garbled.

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Attributes
ACN	392800
Time
Date	199801
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pdx
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse tower : iad
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Falcon 10C
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 138 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 275
ASRS Report	392800
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 11800
ASRS Report	392264
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were stepclbing to our altitude of FL370 by ZSE. We leveled off at FL330. Center asked us if we had the traffic at 12 O'clock at FL350 in sight. I responded yes, we have the traffic in sight, which was about 30 mi out. Moments later, from what I understood, center cleared us to FL350 and maintain visual with traffic, which I replied back 'roger up to FL350.' that was my understanding and set FL350 on altitude selector. As we started our climb to FL350, the controller came back and asked us to maintain FL330. Captain immediately recovered and I at that moment glanced at the altimeter, which we were not more than 300-400 ft off of our altitude. Center asked us to contact them. After we landed we called them up and told them that I responded back that we were cleared up to FL350. Their response was they had listened to the tape and that part of tape was garbled! I strongly feel this was purely a miscom between ZSE and us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FALCON 10 CPR ACFT HAD MISCOM WITH ATC REGARDING CLRED ALT. RPTR FO SAYS HE READ BACK FL350 AND SET IT IN THE ALT ALERT, BUT CLBING THROUGH FL330 THE CTLR INTERVENED AND TOLD THEM TO STAY AT FL330. POSTFLT REVIEW WITH ATC REVEALED THE COM WAS GARBLED.

Narrative: WE WERE STEPCLBING TO OUR ALT OF FL370 BY ZSE. WE LEVELED OFF AT FL330. CTR ASKED US IF WE HAD THE TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK AT FL350 IN SIGHT. I RESPONDED YES, WE HAVE THE TFC IN SIGHT, WHICH WAS ABOUT 30 MI OUT. MOMENTS LATER, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTOOD, CTR CLRED US TO FL350 AND MAINTAIN VISUAL WITH TFC, WHICH I REPLIED BACK 'ROGER UP TO FL350.' THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING AND SET FL350 ON ALT SELECTOR. AS WE STARTED OUR CLB TO FL350, THE CTLR CAME BACK AND ASKED US TO MAINTAIN FL330. CAPT IMMEDIATELY RECOVERED AND I AT THAT MOMENT GLANCED AT THE ALTIMETER, WHICH WE WERE NOT MORE THAN 300-400 FT OFF OF OUR ALT. CTR ASKED US TO CONTACT THEM. AFTER WE LANDED WE CALLED THEM UP AND TOLD THEM THAT I RESPONDED BACK THAT WE WERE CLRED UP TO FL350. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THEY HAD LISTENED TO THE TAPE AND THAT PART OF TAPE WAS GARBLED! I STRONGLY FEEL THIS WAS PURELY A MISCOM BTWN ZSE AND US.

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.