Narrative:

After several vectors and several small climbs, we were told to climb to FL330 on heading 290 degrees, from an altitude of FL270. Per procedure, I changed the altitude alerter to FL330 and read back the clearance to ATC. I pointed to it, and stated '330.' my copilot did the same. At the time, our autoplt was nonfunctional, increasing the workload in the cockpit. We were told to look for traffic at 1 O'clock, however, approaching FL290 we saw traffic at 7 O'clock, crossing left to right behind us, no factor. I called the traffic and said that it was 'a little close, sir.' he then paused and stated we should be at FL290. I told him we had been cleared to FL330 while my first officer stopped the climb at FL295. I asked if he wanted us at FL290 or FL330 and he responded FL290. We quickly descended to FL290 and shortly received clearance to FL330, and clearance en route. No further mention or discussion occurred, and we were unaware there was a problem until we were informed by operations. But in retrospect, we should have queried both the inconsistent traffic report and the altitude, but we were partially distraction by fuel checks, etc.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DC8 FREIGHTER FLC CLBED ABOVE THEIR ASSIGNED ALT. THIS CAUSED A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACR.

Narrative: AFTER SEVERAL VECTORS AND SEVERAL SMALL CLBS, WE WERE TOLD TO CLB TO FL330 ON HDG 290 DEGS, FROM AN ALT OF FL270. PER PROC, I CHANGED THE ALT ALERTER TO FL330 AND READ BACK THE CLRNC TO ATC. I POINTED TO IT, AND STATED '330.' MY COPLT DID THE SAME. AT THE TIME, OUR AUTOPLT WAS NONFUNCTIONAL, INCREASING THE WORKLOAD IN THE COCKPIT. WE WERE TOLD TO LOOK FOR TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK, HOWEVER, APCHING FL290 WE SAW TFC AT 7 O'CLOCK, XING L TO R BEHIND US, NO FACTOR. I CALLED THE TFC AND SAID THAT IT WAS 'A LITTLE CLOSE, SIR.' HE THEN PAUSED AND STATED WE SHOULD BE AT FL290. I TOLD HIM WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL330 WHILE MY FO STOPPED THE CLB AT FL295. I ASKED IF HE WANTED US AT FL290 OR FL330 AND HE RESPONDED FL290. WE QUICKLY DSNDED TO FL290 AND SHORTLY RECEIVED CLRNC TO FL330, AND CLRNC ENRTE. NO FURTHER MENTION OR DISCUSSION OCCURRED, AND WE WERE UNAWARE THERE WAS A PROB UNTIL WE WERE INFORMED BY OPS. BUT IN RETROSPECT, WE SHOULD HAVE QUERIED BOTH THE INCONSISTENT TFC RPT AND THE ALT, BUT WE WERE PARTIALLY DISTR BY FUEL CHKS, ETC.

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.