Narrative:

On climb out from atl the EICAS system indicated a right engine fuel filter bypass. During the initial indent of the problem, the crew may have missed a radio call with an altitude clearance from 14000 ft to FL230. The crew had just leveled at 14000 ft when center changed us to a new sector frequency. Upon contact with the next sector, the controller queried 'confirm climbing to FL230.' the crew replied as if a new clearance was being received and climbed to FL230. It is possible that the crew was distracted by the fuel filter malfunction and missed the first radio call with clearance to FL230. It is also possible that the interrogation nature of the controller's clearance to FL230 made the crew think that a clearance had been missed. I have no recommendation to prevent this type of problem in the future. Standard CRM techniques were used. The captain ran the checklist while the first officer flew and communicated with ATC. Even still a crew can be distracted upon initial onset of a malfunction, until CRM duties are assumed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767-300 FO CONCERNED ABOUT A POSSIBLE MISSED CLRNC PRIOR TO A FREQ CHANGE ON FREQ WITH ZTL, GA.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM ATL THE EICAS SYS INDICATED A R ENG FUEL FILTER BYPASS. DURING THE INITIAL INDENT OF THE PROB, THE CREW MAY HAVE MISSED A RADIO CALL WITH AN ALT CLRNC FROM 14000 FT TO FL230. THE CREW HAD JUST LEVELED AT 14000 FT WHEN CTR CHANGED US TO A NEW SECTOR FREQ. UPON CONTACT WITH THE NEXT SECTOR, THE CTLR QUERIED 'CONFIRM CLBING TO FL230.' THE CREW REPLIED AS IF A NEW CLRNC WAS BEING RECEIVED AND CLBED TO FL230. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE CREW WAS DISTRACTED BY THE FUEL FILTER MALFUNCTION AND MISSED THE FIRST RADIO CALL WITH CLRNC TO FL230. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THE INTERROGATION NATURE OF THE CTLR'S CLRNC TO FL230 MADE THE CREW THINK THAT A CLRNC HAD BEEN MISSED. I HAVE NO RECOMMENDATION TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF PROB IN THE FUTURE. STANDARD CRM TECHNIQUES WERE USED. THE CAPT RAN THE CHKLIST WHILE THE FO FLEW AND COMMUNICATED WITH ATC. EVEN STILL A CREW CAN BE DISTRACTED UPON INITIAL ONSET OF A MALFUNCTION, UNTIL CRM DUTIES ARE ASSUMED.

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.