Narrative:

I was concentrating on getting a cessna down that had diverted from san antonio (WX), had no approach plates for crp, and had missed approach 3 times. Air carrier X departed, and I assigned air carrier X 10000 ft, but pilot read back 17000 ft. I missed the readback and switched air carrier X to ZHU. ZHU called and asked what altitude was assigned to air carrier X. I said '10000 ft.' ZHU said pilot reported climbing to 17000 ft. Factors contributing to event were: supervisor calling tower coordinator that was bleeding over into my ear (several times, very distracting, equipment malfunction on the 'call forward' button), and aircraft Y -- the cessna that I was considering and working as an emergency. ZHU supervisor declared a non occurrence, because ZHU controller issued higher altitude before air carrier X left vertical limits of crp approach airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR AT CRP ISSUED CLB TO 10000 FT TO AN ACR AND MISSED THE PLT'S READBACK OF 17000 FT.

Narrative: I WAS CONCENTRATING ON GETTING A CESSNA DOWN THAT HAD DIVERTED FROM SAN ANTONIO (WX), HAD NO APCH PLATES FOR CRP, AND HAD MISSED APCH 3 TIMES. ACR X DEPARTED, AND I ASSIGNED ACR X 10000 FT, BUT PLT READ BACK 17000 FT. I MISSED THE READBACK AND SWITCHED ACR X TO ZHU. ZHU CALLED AND ASKED WHAT ALT WAS ASSIGNED TO ACR X. I SAID '10000 FT.' ZHU SAID PLT RPTED CLBING TO 17000 FT. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO EVENT WERE: SUPVR CALLING TWR COORDINATOR THAT WAS BLEEDING OVER INTO MY EAR (SEVERAL TIMES, VERY DISTRACTING, EQUIP MALFUNCTION ON THE 'CALL FORWARD' BUTTON), AND ACFT Y -- THE CESSNA THAT I WAS CONSIDERING AND WORKING AS AN EMER. ZHU SUPVR DECLARED A NON OCCURRENCE, BECAUSE ZHU CTLR ISSUED HIGHER ALT BEFORE ACR X LEFT VERT LIMITS OF CRP APCH AIRSPACE.

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.