At FL210 climbing, a B757 crew is challenged by a ZDC controller for climbing above the allegedly assigned altitude of FL200. Traffic at FL210, opposite direction was the concern.

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Attributes
ACN	457383
Time
Date	199912
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zdc.artcc
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	457383
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : separated traffic controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 30000 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

ZDC cleared us to climb to FL230 after departing ric. Vacating FL210 center called us and requested our altitude. We responded, 'vacating FL210.' he immediately said we were only cleared to FL200. We immediately asked what altitude he would like for us to go to. He said FL200. We descended and asked about reported traffic. Traffic was 5 mi away at FL210. I called ZDC upon landing at sdf. Talked to a mr X supervisor. He indicated that we were correct in being cleared to FL230. He was taking immediate action concerning the 2 controllers involved with our flight. Mr X also indicated that he had already filled out a 'NASA' report. It would be life saving if cargo aircraft had TCASII. This is an example of human error of clearing 2 aircraft to same flight level. It will happen again. Hopefully the crews will be able to fill out a NASA report as I'm doing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AT FL210 CLBING, A B757 CREW IS CHALLENGED BY A ZDC CTLR FOR CLBING ABOVE THE ALLEGEDLY ASSIGNED ALT OF FL200. TFC AT FL210, OPPOSITE DIRECTION WAS THE CONCERN.

Narrative: ZDC CLRED US TO CLB TO FL230 AFTER DEPARTING RIC. VACATING FL210 CTR CALLED US AND REQUESTED OUR ALT. WE RESPONDED, 'VACATING FL210.' HE IMMEDIATELY SAID WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO FL200. WE IMMEDIATELY ASKED WHAT ALT HE WOULD LIKE FOR US TO GO TO. HE SAID FL200. WE DSNDED AND ASKED ABOUT RPTED TFC. TFC WAS 5 MI AWAY AT FL210. I CALLED ZDC UPON LNDG AT SDF. TALKED TO A MR X SUPVR. HE INDICATED THAT WE WERE CORRECT IN BEING CLRED TO FL230. HE WAS TAKING IMMEDIATE ACTION CONCERNING THE 2 CTLRS INVOLVED WITH OUR FLT. MR X ALSO INDICATED THAT HE HAD ALREADY FILLED OUT A 'NASA' RPT. IT WOULD BE LIFE SAVING IF CARGO ACFT HAD TCASII. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF HUMAN ERROR OF CLRING 2 ACFT TO SAME FLT LEVEL. IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. HOPEFULLY THE CREWS WILL BE ABLE TO FILL OUT A NASA RPT AS I'M DOING.

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.