Narrative:

We were climbing to assigned altitude of 9000 ft. At approximately 8000 ft, departure control issued the clearance, 'maintain 10000 ft.' I reset the FCU to 10000 ft, while the first officer read back the new altitude. At 9000 ft the controller told us to maintain 9000 ft and issued us 'traffic 1 O'clock, opposite direction at 10000 ft. I realized at this moment that he issued us the 10000 ft clearance in error. I disconnected the autoplt and leveled the aircraft back down to 9000 ft. We reached an altitude of 9200 ft in the process. The controller sounded very irritated with us, and told us to maintain 9000 ft as we had traffic at 10000 ft. We told him we had been issued 10000 ft but would maintain 9000 ft. He stated he would review the tapes.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 RECEIVED A CLRNC TO 10000 FT MSL FROM 9000 FT MSL. CTLR IMMEDIATELY REINSTATED THE ALT TO 9000 FT MSL AND ISSUED A TFC ALERT AT 10000 FT MSL.

Narrative: WE WERE CLBING TO ASSIGNED ALT OF 9000 FT. AT APPROX 8000 FT, DEP CTL ISSUED THE CLRNC, 'MAINTAIN 10000 FT.' I RESET THE FCU TO 10000 FT, WHILE THE FO READ BACK THE NEW ALT. AT 9000 FT THE CTLR TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 9000 FT AND ISSUED US 'TFC 1 O'CLOCK, OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT 10000 FT. I REALIZED AT THIS MOMENT THAT HE ISSUED US THE 10000 FT CLRNC IN ERROR. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND LEVELED THE ACFT BACK DOWN TO 9000 FT. WE REACHED AN ALT OF 9200 FT IN THE PROCESS. THE CTLR SOUNDED VERY IRRITATED WITH US, AND TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 9000 FT AS WE HAD TFC AT 10000 FT. WE TOLD HIM WE HAD BEEN ISSUED 10000 FT BUT WOULD MAINTAIN 9000 FT. HE STATED HE WOULD REVIEW THE TAPES.

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.