Air carrier with ZSE is challenged by controller regarding altitude request and clearance; subsequen...

Attributes
ACN	802298
Time
Date	200808
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mwh.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl single value : 27400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 231 flight time type : 7500
ASRS Report	802298
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 274
ASRS Report	802462
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Upon leaving 17000 ft; sea issued a clearance to FL370. At that point the first officer was finishing running the numbers which stated that FL350 would be the maximum altitude. We told ATC that we were too heavy for FL370; and FL350 we were requesting. ZSE controller completely lost his cool; and chastised company and our procedures; and said we should re-file our flight plans to lower altitudes. I tried to apologize to him. He then immediately gave us an off-course vector to fly 070 degree heading and reclred to FL270. We both verified the heading and altitudes and read it back to sea his next clearance to us was to go direct mwh (moses lake) and climb to FL280. We both verified after the first officer's readback. Upon climbing through FL274; sea said we were only cleared to FL270. We replied; 'you cleared us to FL280.' he replied; 'no I did not; my last clearance was 070 degree heading and FL270 only.' we apologized and got a phone number to call on the ground. I called and spoke to sea supervisor. He pulled the tapes and asked for my cell phone to call me back with the results. 5 mins later; he called back and issued an apology from the ZSE worker for them; ZSE being completely wrong; and told me he was being counseled.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WITH ZSE IS CHALLENGED BY CTLR REGARDING ALT REQUEST AND CLRNC; SUBSEQUENT CALLS TO FACILITY REVEALED CTLR IN ERROR ON ALL COUNTS.

Narrative: UPON LEAVING 17000 FT; SEA ISSUED A CLRNC TO FL370. AT THAT POINT THE FO WAS FINISHING RUNNING THE NUMBERS WHICH STATED THAT FL350 WOULD BE THE MAX ALT. WE TOLD ATC THAT WE WERE TOO HVY FOR FL370; AND FL350 WE WERE REQUESTING. ZSE CTLR COMPLETELY LOST HIS COOL; AND CHASTISED COMPANY AND OUR PROCS; AND SAID WE SHOULD RE-FILE OUR FLT PLANS TO LOWER ALTS. I TRIED TO APOLOGIZE TO HIM. HE THEN IMMEDIATELY GAVE US AN OFF-COURSE VECTOR TO FLY 070 DEG HDG AND RECLRED TO FL270. WE BOTH VERIFIED THE HDG AND ALTS AND READ IT BACK TO SEA HIS NEXT CLRNC TO US WAS TO GO DIRECT MWH (MOSES LAKE) AND CLB TO FL280. WE BOTH VERIFIED AFTER THE FO'S READBACK. UPON CLBING THROUGH FL274; SEA SAID WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO FL270. WE REPLIED; 'YOU CLRED US TO FL280.' HE REPLIED; 'NO I DID NOT; MY LAST CLRNC WAS 070 DEG HDG AND FL270 ONLY.' WE APOLOGIZED AND GOT A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL ON THE GND. I CALLED AND SPOKE TO SEA SUPVR. HE PULLED THE TAPES AND ASKED FOR MY CELL PHONE TO CALL ME BACK WITH THE RESULTS. 5 MINS LATER; HE CALLED BACK AND ISSUED AN APOLOGY FROM THE ZSE WORKER FOR THEM; ZSE BEING COMPLETELY WRONG; AND TOLD ME HE WAS BEING COUNSELED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

Air carrier with ZSE is challenged by controller regarding altitude request and clearance; subsequent calls to facility revealed controller in error on all counts.