Narrative:

After takeoff from cleveland hopkins, we were told to contact departure control. Our check-in was acknowledged, and we were told to turn to a 180 degree heading. Our previous clearance was a 095 degree heading off of runway 5R, and 5000 ft. We turned to 180 degrees and climbed to 5000 ft. ATC was extremely busy. He called us back and told us to turn to 240 degrees and climb to 9000 ft, and he told us that he had tried to call us 5 times. He never used our call sign, and he could be heard talking to another aircraft with a similar call sign. While on 240 degree heading and level at 9000 ft, ATC called and asked why we were level at 9000 ft, and said we had missed 3 calls and were cleared to 12000 ft. We climbed to 12000 ft on a 240 degree heading. While climbing, ATC said that our radio receiver was bad. Operations, deice, ground control, tower, and departure on our initial calls, had no problems with the radio. Every transmission given to us was acknowledged. After the climb we were given a clearance of direct mfd, maintain 12000 ft. ATC acknowledged our response, and within less than 1 min, ATC gave us the same clearance again. Definitely a controller who was overloaded. We contacted center on 134.9 and asked him for a radio check. He said loud and clear. The next 3 ctrs also said the same. A definite situation of overload, and a good reason to double-check a clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC CHALLENGED BY CLE CTLR FOR NOT ACKNOWLEDGING CLRNC INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM CLEVELAND HOPKINS, WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT DEP CTL. OUR CHK-IN WAS ACKNOWLEDGED, AND WE WERE TOLD TO TURN TO A 180 DEG HDG. OUR PREVIOUS CLRNC WAS A 095 DEG HDG OFF OF RWY 5R, AND 5000 FT. WE TURNED TO 180 DEGS AND CLBED TO 5000 FT. ATC WAS EXTREMELY BUSY. HE CALLED US BACK AND TOLD US TO TURN TO 240 DEGS AND CLB TO 9000 FT, AND HE TOLD US THAT HE HAD TRIED TO CALL US 5 TIMES. HE NEVER USED OUR CALL SIGN, AND HE COULD BE HEARD TALKING TO ANOTHER ACFT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN. WHILE ON 240 DEG HDG AND LEVEL AT 9000 FT, ATC CALLED AND ASKED WHY WE WERE LEVEL AT 9000 FT, AND SAID WE HAD MISSED 3 CALLS AND WERE CLRED TO 12000 FT. WE CLBED TO 12000 FT ON A 240 DEG HDG. WHILE CLBING, ATC SAID THAT OUR RADIO RECEIVER WAS BAD. OPS, DEICE, GND CTL, TWR, AND DEP ON OUR INITIAL CALLS, HAD NO PROBS WITH THE RADIO. EVERY XMISSION GIVEN TO US WAS ACKNOWLEDGED. AFTER THE CLB WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC OF DIRECT MFD, MAINTAIN 12000 FT. ATC ACKNOWLEDGED OUR RESPONSE, AND WITHIN LESS THAN 1 MIN, ATC GAVE US THE SAME CLRNC AGAIN. DEFINITELY A CTLR WHO WAS OVERLOADED. WE CONTACTED CTR ON 134.9 AND ASKED HIM FOR A RADIO CHK. HE SAID LOUD AND CLR. THE NEXT 3 CTRS ALSO SAID THE SAME. A DEFINITE SIT OF OVERLOAD, AND A GOOD REASON TO DOUBLE-CHK A CLRNC.

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.