<< >> NASA ASRS Report 447663, August 1999

BE200 cargo flight crew climbs to disputed clearance altitude in error having read back twice the altitude with no correction from ATC.

Attributes
ACN	447663
Time
Date	199908
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Super King Air 200 HDC
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	447663
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed las approximately XY30 hours. I filed for FL220 to vny. Las departure cleared me to 14000 ft and handed me to center. ZLA cleared me to FL220. I repeated the clearance and continued the climb. I was handed off to another sector and upon checking in advised out of present altitude to FL220. Upon reaching FL220 I leveled off. Several seconds later center asked what altitude I was climbing to. I advised FL220. Center advised that I was only cleared to FL200, but to maintain FL220. There was no conflict with traffic and nothing else was said. I checked via radio with the prior controller who also said I was only cleared to FL200. It was unknown how I misheard FL220 instead of FL200. But I did repeat back to both controllers FL220, and I was acknowledged but not corrected. It is possible that at XZ00 FL220 and FL200 sound too much alike. But I felt that based on what I heard and repeated that I had taken every precaution to prevent an altitude incursion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE200 CARGO FLC CLBS TO DISPUTED CLRNC ALT IN ERROR HAVING READ BACK TWICE THE ALT WITH NO CORRECTION FROM ATC.

Narrative: DEPARTED LAS APPROX XY30 HRS. I FILED FOR FL220 TO VNY. LAS DEP CLRED ME TO 14000 FT AND HANDED ME TO CTR. ZLA CLRED ME TO FL220. I REPEATED THE CLRNC AND CONTINUED THE CLB. I WAS HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER SECTOR AND UPON CHKING IN ADVISED OUT OF PRESENT ALT TO FL220. UPON REACHING FL220 I LEVELED OFF. SEVERAL SECONDS LATER CTR ASKED WHAT ALT I WAS CLBING TO. I ADVISED FL220. CTR ADVISED THAT I WAS ONLY CLRED TO FL200, BUT TO MAINTAIN FL220. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH TFC AND NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID. I CHKED VIA RADIO WITH THE PRIOR CTLR WHO ALSO SAID I WAS ONLY CLRED TO FL200. IT WAS UNKNOWN HOW I MISHEARD FL220 INSTEAD OF FL200. BUT I DID REPEAT BACK TO BOTH CTLRS FL220, AND I WAS ACKNOWLEDGED BUT NOT CORRECTED. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT AT XZ00 FL220 AND FL200 SOUND TOO MUCH ALIKE. BUT I FELT THAT BASED ON WHAT I HEARD AND REPEATED THAT I HAD TAKEN EVERY PRECAUTION TO PREVENT AN ALT INCURSION.

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.