An MU2B while climbing, thought he heard a clearance to a higher altitude and continued the climb. The controller intervened and asked him to maintain a lower altitude.

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Attributes
ACN	419100
Time
Date	199811
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : a00
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 16300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MU-2F
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise 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 : 150 flight time total : 3300 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	419100
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
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:

I requested a final cruising altitude of FL190. I heard the center controller say 'maintain 17000 ft for traffic.' while climbing through 16300 ft, he asked me to 'say your altitude.' I replied that I was 'out of 16300 ft for 17000 ft.' the controller replied 'turn 20 degrees right, maintain 15000 ft.' I immediately complied. The controller then stated '...you have traffic off your left side and 5 mi, maintain 15000 ft.' I then replied 'I am maintaining 15000 ft and I do have the traffic at 10 O'clock position in sight.' I then told the controller that when I had requested FL190, that I thought that I heard 'maintain 17000 ft for traffic.' I told the controller that I was sorry for the misunderstanding. Assuming the problem was pilot error and not controller error, the altitude was interpreted incorrectly. Paying a little closer attention to altitude assignments would help in sits such as this one. Humans do make errors, our job is to keep them to the bare minimum.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MU2B WHILE CLBING, THOUGHT HE HEARD A CLRNC TO A HIGHER ALT AND CONTINUED THE CLB. THE CTLR INTERVENED AND ASKED HIM TO MAINTAIN A LOWER ALT.

Narrative: I REQUESTED A FINAL CRUISING ALT OF FL190. I HEARD THE CTR CTLR SAY 'MAINTAIN 17000 FT FOR TFC.' WHILE CLBING THROUGH 16300 FT, HE ASKED ME TO 'SAY YOUR ALT.' I REPLIED THAT I WAS 'OUT OF 16300 FT FOR 17000 FT.' THE CTLR REPLIED 'TURN 20 DEGS R, MAINTAIN 15000 FT.' I IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED. THE CTLR THEN STATED '...YOU HAVE TFC OFF YOUR L SIDE AND 5 MI, MAINTAIN 15000 FT.' I THEN REPLIED 'I AM MAINTAINING 15000 FT AND I DO HAVE THE TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK POS IN SIGHT.' I THEN TOLD THE CTLR THAT WHEN I HAD REQUESTED FL190, THAT I THOUGHT THAT I HEARD 'MAINTAIN 17000 FT FOR TFC.' I TOLD THE CTLR THAT I WAS SORRY FOR THE MISUNDERSTANDING. ASSUMING THE PROB WAS PLT ERROR AND NOT CTLR ERROR, THE ALT WAS INTERPED INCORRECTLY. PAYING A LITTLE CLOSER ATTN TO ALT ASSIGNMENTS WOULD HELP IN SITS SUCH AS THIS ONE. HUMANS DO MAKE ERRORS, OUR JOB IS TO KEEP THEM TO THE BARE MINIMUM.

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.