Narrative:

Had been cleared from FL230 to FL310 during climb out from atl. During climb out at approximately FL260 center told us it would be a little while for further climb due to traffic at FL310 that we were overtaking. At FL295, controller asked what our altitude was, and I told him we were climbing through FL295. He then said we were supposed to stop off at FL280, but gave us no instruction to descend to FL280. Climb was continued to FL310, and I responded to controller that we had not received or acknowledged FL280. No further discussion with ATC about altitude and frequency change was made shortly after level at FL310. The radio traffic with ZTL was busy, and there were several blocked xmissions. I don't know if instructions from ATC were blocked or if he did not give us FL280 during the radio transmission about expect further climb.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLRNC CONFUSION WHEN CLB RESTR IS NOT RECEIVED OR READ BACK.

Narrative: HAD BEEN CLRED FROM FL230 TO FL310 DURING CLBOUT FROM ATL. DURING CLBOUT AT APPROX FL260 CTR TOLD US IT WOULD BE A LITTLE WHILE FOR FURTHER CLB DUE TO TFC AT FL310 THAT WE WERE OVERTAKING. AT FL295, CTLR ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS, AND I TOLD HIM WE WERE CLBING THROUGH FL295. HE THEN SAID WE WERE SUPPOSED TO STOP OFF AT FL280, BUT GAVE US NO INSTRUCTION TO DSND TO FL280. CLB WAS CONTINUED TO FL310, AND I RESPONDED TO CTLR THAT WE HAD NOT RECEIVED OR ACKNOWLEDGED FL280. NO FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH ATC ABOUT ALT AND FREQ CHANGE WAS MADE SHORTLY AFTER LEVEL AT FL310. THE RADIO TFC WITH ZTL WAS BUSY, AND THERE WERE SEVERAL BLOCKED XMISSIONS. I DON'T KNOW IF INSTRUCTIONS FROM ATC WERE BLOCKED OR IF HE DID NOT GIVE US FL280 DURING THE RADIO XMISSION ABOUT EXPECT FURTHER CLB.

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.