A cpr LJ31 flight crew departing atl failed to level off at the assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	453299
Time
Date	199910
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : atl.vortac
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Learjet 31
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	453299
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

A normal clearance before engine start stated to fly atl 4 departure maintain 14000 ft. It was read back by captain with no ATC objection. The PNF questioned the 14000 ft during taxi out to runway, because the departure plate shows 10000 ft. I assured him the readback went successfully. After checking in with departure control, the PNF stated the climb to altitude with no objections. The controller who rogered our climb to 14000 ft then called us when we were passing through 10400 ft, acting as if we were cleared to 10000 ft. We stated what we knew as fact, started down to 10000 ft from about 10700 ft, got reclred to 14000 ft, and were given a 30 degree vector towards our on course heading. ATC failed on 2 hearbacks if they wanted us at 10000 ft. Pilots gave them ample opportunity to ensure safety. Their perfunctory attitude is to blame on most of the incident. The flight crew complacency for not questioning the ambiguous clearance while taxiing out was the other part of the blame. The lesson is for ATC to listen to readbacks and pilots to question ATC on clrncs that conflict with pubs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR LJ31 FLC DEPARTING ATL FAILED TO LEVEL OFF AT THE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: A NORMAL CLRNC BEFORE ENG START STATED TO FLY ATL 4 DEP MAINTAIN 14000 FT. IT WAS READ BACK BY CAPT WITH NO ATC OBJECTION. THE PNF QUESTIONED THE 14000 FT DURING TAXI OUT TO RWY, BECAUSE THE DEP PLATE SHOWS 10000 FT. I ASSURED HIM THE READBACK WENT SUCCESSFULLY. AFTER CHKING IN WITH DEP CTL, THE PNF STATED THE CLB TO ALT WITH NO OBJECTIONS. THE CTLR WHO ROGERED OUR CLB TO 14000 FT THEN CALLED US WHEN WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 10400 FT, ACTING AS IF WE WERE CLRED TO 10000 FT. WE STATED WHAT WE KNEW AS FACT, STARTED DOWN TO 10000 FT FROM ABOUT 10700 FT, GOT RECLRED TO 14000 FT, AND WERE GIVEN A 30 DEG VECTOR TOWARDS OUR ON COURSE HDG. ATC FAILED ON 2 HEARBACKS IF THEY WANTED US AT 10000 FT. PLTS GAVE THEM AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO ENSURE SAFETY. THEIR PERFUNCTORY ATTITUDE IS TO BLAME ON MOST OF THE INCIDENT. THE FLC COMPLACENCY FOR NOT QUESTIONING THE AMBIGUOUS CLRNC WHILE TAXIING OUT WAS THE OTHER PART OF THE BLAME. THE LESSON IS FOR ATC TO LISTEN TO READBACKS AND PLTS TO QUESTION ATC ON CLRNCS THAT CONFLICT WITH PUBS.

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.