Controller climbed B737 to 14000 ft and later believed he had cleared the aircraft to 13000 ft. Controller descends a BE90 to 14000 ft resulting in an operational error.

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Attributes
ACN	403349
Time
Date	199805
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dpa
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	King Air C90 E90
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 7300 flight time type : 3300
ASRS Report	403349
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 19200 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

While climbing out of mdw to oma, several thunderstorms were in the area. Center was very busy vectoring everyone around. We were given a climb from 12000 ft to 14000 ft. Leveling off, I noticed on TCASII traffic at our altitude 10 NM away. He was also on a vector for WX. The controller was issuing clrncs and I had to wait to get a word in to inquire about the traffic. By then, several moments passed and the TCASII issued a TA at about the same time center asked what our altitude was. I answered 'assigned 14000 ft with traffic in sight.' he gave us a climb and a frequency change. No evasive action was required and flight resumed normally. I can't think of what life was like before TCASII. Supplemental information from acn 402567: aircraft #1 was climbing to 14000 ft. I, the air traffic controller, thought aircraft #1 was climbing to 13000 ft. Aircraft #2 descended to 14000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR CLBED B737 TO 14000 FT AND LATER BELIEVED HE HAD CLRED THE ACFT TO 13000 FT. CTLR DSNDS A BE90 TO 14000 FT RESULTING IN AN OPERROR.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING OUT OF MDW TO OMA, SEVERAL TSTMS WERE IN THE AREA. CTR WAS VERY BUSY VECTORING EVERYONE AROUND. WE WERE GIVEN A CLB FROM 12000 FT TO 14000 FT. LEVELING OFF, I NOTICED ON TCASII TFC AT OUR ALT 10 NM AWAY. HE WAS ALSO ON A VECTOR FOR WX. THE CTLR WAS ISSUING CLRNCS AND I HAD TO WAIT TO GET A WORD IN TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE TFC. BY THEN, SEVERAL MOMENTS PASSED AND THE TCASII ISSUED A TA AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME CTR ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS. I ANSWERED 'ASSIGNED 14000 FT WITH TFC IN SIGHT.' HE GAVE US A CLB AND A FREQ CHANGE. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS REQUIRED AND FLT RESUMED NORMALLY. I CAN'T THINK OF WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE BEFORE TCASII. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 402567: ACFT #1 WAS CLBING TO 14000 FT. I, THE AIR TFC CTLR, THOUGHT ACFT #1 WAS CLBING TO 13000 FT. ACFT #2 DSNDED TO 14000 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.