B757 captain requests and accepts clearance with unattainable altitude.

Attributes
ACN	690931
Time
Date	200603
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : ebber
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhn.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	690931
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	690932
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Company Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Prior to departure from koa; clearance asked us our requested altitude offering either FL300 or FL390. Having flown this leg on numerous occasions; I reflexively asked for FL390. At typical weights; this altitude is attainable. Unfortunately; due to the possibility of WX in lax; we were carrying significantly more fuel and were; therefore; heavier than normal. I also failed to xchk our weight in the performance manual with the maximum altitude for that weight. During climb out; it became evident that FL390 was unattainable. I called center to advise them that we could not make FL390 and requested FL370 or FL380. This caused a problem for center as typically all altitudes on the echo track are filled. They turned us off track and we did a 360 degree turn while they coordination FL370 for us and turned us back to erwin and on track.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CAPT REQUESTS AND ACCEPTS CLRNC WITH UNATTAINABLE ALT.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEP FROM KOA; CLRNC ASKED US OUR REQUESTED ALT OFFERING EITHER FL300 OR FL390. HAVING FLOWN THIS LEG ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS; I REFLEXIVELY ASKED FOR FL390. AT TYPICAL WTS; THIS ALT IS ATTAINABLE. UNFORTUNATELY; DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF WX IN LAX; WE WERE CARRYING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE FUEL AND WERE; THEREFORE; HEAVIER THAN NORMAL. I ALSO FAILED TO XCHK OUR WT IN THE PERFORMANCE MANUAL WITH THE MAX ALT FOR THAT WT. DURING CLBOUT; IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT FL390 WAS UNATTAINABLE. I CALLED CTR TO ADVISE THEM THAT WE COULD NOT MAKE FL390 AND REQUESTED FL370 OR FL380. THIS CAUSED A PROB FOR CTR AS TYPICALLY ALL ALTS ON THE ECHO TRACK ARE FILLED. THEY TURNED US OFF TRACK AND WE DID A 360 DEG TURN WHILE THEY COORD FL370 FOR US AND TURNED US BACK TO ERWIN AND ON TRACK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.