A B757 air carrier flight crew climbed above their assigned altitude to their planned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	432730
Time
Date	199904
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : gqo.vortac
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 20100 flight time type : 7500
ASRS Report	432730
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our filed cruise altitude was FL290. While climbing we were given clearance to cross jabrd at FL240. I do not have any recollection of having a new final cruise altitude assigned, nor do I have a positive recollection of our previously assigned altitude. My first officer, however, is certain that we were assigned FL290. As we continued our climb at FL280, ATC said we had been assigned FL260 as a final with the FL240 crossing restr. We immediately descended to FL240 and queried ATC, to which they replied that no separation was lost nor any violation incurred. The solution must be: 1) controllers, when issuing multiple clrncs, must make altitude clrncs separate independent statements which precede any subsequent clearance statement. 2) controllers must wait for pilots to acknowledge altitude clrncs prior to issuing any further clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 ACR FLC CLBED ABOVE THEIR ASSIGNED ALT TO THEIR PLANNED ALT.

Narrative: OUR FILED CRUISE ALT WAS FL290. WHILE CLBING WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS JABRD AT FL240. I DO NOT HAVE ANY RECOLLECTION OF HAVING A NEW FINAL CRUISE ALT ASSIGNED, NOR DO I HAVE A POSITIVE RECOLLECTION OF OUR PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED ALT. MY FO, HOWEVER, IS CERTAIN THAT WE WERE ASSIGNED FL290. AS WE CONTINUED OUR CLB AT FL280, ATC SAID WE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED FL260 AS A FINAL WITH THE FL240 XING RESTR. WE IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO FL240 AND QUERIED ATC, TO WHICH THEY REPLIED THAT NO SEPARATION WAS LOST NOR ANY VIOLATION INCURRED. THE SOLUTION MUST BE: 1) CTLRS, WHEN ISSUING MULTIPLE CLRNCS, MUST MAKE ALT CLRNCS SEPARATE INDEPENDENT STATEMENTS WHICH PRECEDE ANY SUBSEQUENT CLRNC STATEMENT. 2) CTLRS MUST WAIT FOR PLTS TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALT CLRNCS PRIOR TO ISSUING ANY FURTHER CLRNC.

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.