Light transport aircraft on departure climb out, avoiding thunderstorms, was receiving altitude clrn...

Attributes
ACN	398200
Time
Date	199803
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bmi
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau tracon : pia
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	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	398200
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	398801
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Thunderstorms in the vicinity prevented us from flying our normal departure. We departed runway 20 at bmi and turned to the east. Our takeoff clearance altitude was amended by bmi tower to 9000 ft. We contacted peoria departure and told them of our deviation for WX. Peoria departure (118.05) then instructed us to contact ZAU on 132.5. We did so and then were told to climb to 17000 ft. We acknowledged 17000 ft and started our climb. I advised center we were on a 060 degree heading for WX and then would be able to turn to a 360 degree heading to bring us back to our normal route. He did not respond to us but was busy talking to other aircraft on different frequencys that we could not hear. When I requested direct O'hare he asked us our position. We said our position east of pontiac and controller told us to go back to our last assigned frequency. Back on with peoria departure, he gave us 2 different new frequencys to try and then said to just stay with him. He then said switch to 123.75. Upon contact, the controller asked us who had assigned us 17000 ft and instructed us to descend to and maintain 8000 ft. We told her we had been assigned 17000 ft by 132.5 and had acknowledged 17000 ft on 132.5. We descended down to 8000 ft from approximately 12000 ft. This controller acted as if 17000 ft was an incorrect altitude and there was obvious confusion between the different controllers. I feel the 132.5 controller may have been overloaded with multiple frequencys.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT ACFT ON DEP CLBOUT, AVOIDING TSTMS, WAS RECEIVING ALT CLRNCS FROM DEP CTLR. WHEN SWITCHING TO CTR FREQ THE CTLR ASKED FLC WHO ASSIGNED THE ALT OF 17000 FT AND THEN RECLRED THEM TO DSND TO 8000 FT.

Narrative: TSTMS IN THE VICINITY PREVENTED US FROM FLYING OUR NORMAL DEP. WE DEPARTED RWY 20 AT BMI AND TURNED TO THE E. OUR TKOF CLRNC ALT WAS AMENDED BY BMI TWR TO 9000 FT. WE CONTACTED PEORIA DEP AND TOLD THEM OF OUR DEV FOR WX. PEORIA DEP (118.05) THEN INSTRUCTED US TO CONTACT ZAU ON 132.5. WE DID SO AND THEN WERE TOLD TO CLB TO 17000 FT. WE ACKNOWLEDGED 17000 FT AND STARTED OUR CLB. I ADVISED CTR WE WERE ON A 060 DEG HDG FOR WX AND THEN WOULD BE ABLE TO TURN TO A 360 DEG HDG TO BRING US BACK TO OUR NORMAL RTE. HE DID NOT RESPOND TO US BUT WAS BUSY TALKING TO OTHER ACFT ON DIFFERENT FREQS THAT WE COULD NOT HEAR. WHEN I REQUESTED DIRECT O'HARE HE ASKED US OUR POS. WE SAID OUR POS E OF PONTIAC AND CTLR TOLD US TO GO BACK TO OUR LAST ASSIGNED FREQ. BACK ON WITH PEORIA DEP, HE GAVE US 2 DIFFERENT NEW FREQS TO TRY AND THEN SAID TO JUST STAY WITH HIM. HE THEN SAID SWITCH TO 123.75. UPON CONTACT, THE CTLR ASKED US WHO HAD ASSIGNED US 17000 FT AND INSTRUCTED US TO DSND TO AND MAINTAIN 8000 FT. WE TOLD HER WE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED 17000 FT BY 132.5 AND HAD ACKNOWLEDGED 17000 FT ON 132.5. WE DSNDED DOWN TO 8000 FT FROM APPROX 12000 FT. THIS CTLR ACTED AS IF 17000 FT WAS AN INCORRECT ALT AND THERE WAS OBVIOUS CONFUSION BTWN THE DIFFERENT CTLRS. I FEEL THE 132.5 CTLR MAY HAVE BEEN OVERLOADED WITH MULTIPLE FREQS.

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.

Light transport aircraft on departure climb out, avoiding thunderstorms, was receiving altitude clrncs from departure controller. When switching to center frequency the controller asked flight crew who assigned the altitude of 17000 ft and then reclred them to descend to 8000 ft.