An MD82 flight crew climbs above their assigned altitude when misunderstanding their clearance with ...

Attributes
ACN	486200
Time
Date	200009
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : tay.vortac
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-82
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 3200
ASRS Report	486200
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Airspace Structure
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed mco for lga, on radar vectors with ZJX (frequency 132.82). Jax assigned FL290 for an altitude, climbing through FL280, first officer questioned altitude, center frequency was busy. Leveling off at FL290, ZJX asked what our assigned altitude was. I informed him it was FL290, which he returned on indicating our clearance was FL280, then he assigned us FL290 as our altitude. There was no other incident. The heavy congestion of traffic on ATC frequency was the cause of the miscom of our clearance and crew for not challenging the altitude set on our aircraft altitude preselect.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD82 FLC CLBS ABOVE THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHEN MISUNDERSTANDING THEIR CLRNC WITH ZJX, FL.

Narrative: DEPARTED MCO FOR LGA, ON RADAR VECTORS WITH ZJX (FREQ 132.82). JAX ASSIGNED FL290 FOR AN ALT, CLBING THROUGH FL280, FO QUESTIONED ALT, CTR FREQ WAS BUSY. LEVELING OFF AT FL290, ZJX ASKED WHAT OUR ASSIGNED ALT WAS. I INFORMED HIM IT WAS FL290, WHICH HE RETURNED ON INDICATING OUR CLRNC WAS FL280, THEN HE ASSIGNED US FL290 AS OUR ALT. THERE WAS NO OTHER INCIDENT. THE HVY CONGESTION OF TFC ON ATC FREQ WAS THE CAUSE OF THE MISCOM OF OUR CLRNC AND CREW FOR NOT CHALLENGING THE ALT SET ON OUR ACFT ALT PRESELECT.

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.

An MD82 flight crew climbs above their assigned altitude when misunderstanding their clearance with ZJX, fl.