Narrative:

We were flying the frogo 5 departure out of smf en route to lax. We were given several altitude clrncs. As I recall they were 13000', 17000', FL190, FL210, FL220, FL230, FL240. Each time the first officer read back the altitude and set it in the altitude alert system. As we were leveling at FL240 the controller asked what our altitude was. We said FL240. He said we were only cleared to FL230. I said we both heard, 'cleared to FL240, expect higher in 1 min.' after landing lax I called ZOA and was told it was their problem and it had been resolved. I related this story to another pilot in dispatch. That pilot dropped me a note saying that later that day they heard a similar problem with another airliner in the same area at FL240. There is a lot of e-w and n-s traffic in that area climbing and descending with potential for big problems.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR GAVE ACR MLG FLT CREW WRONG ALT DURING STEP CLIMB TO HIGH ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING THE FROGO 5 DEP OUT OF SMF ENRTE TO LAX. WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL ALT CLRNCS. AS I RECALL THEY WERE 13000', 17000', FL190, FL210, FL220, FL230, FL240. EACH TIME THE F/O READ BACK THE ALT AND SET IT IN THE ALT ALERT SYS. AS WE WERE LEVELING AT FL240 THE CTLR ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS. WE SAID FL240. HE SAID WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO FL230. I SAID WE BOTH HEARD, 'CLRED TO FL240, EXPECT HIGHER IN 1 MIN.' AFTER LNDG LAX I CALLED ZOA AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THEIR PROB AND IT HAD BEEN RESOLVED. I RELATED THIS STORY TO ANOTHER PLT IN DISPATCH. THAT PLT DROPPED ME A NOTE SAYING THAT LATER THAT DAY THEY HEARD A SIMILAR PROB WITH ANOTHER AIRLINER IN THE SAME AREA AT FL240. THERE IS A LOT OF E-W AND N-S TFC IN THAT AREA CLBING AND DSNDING WITH POTENTIAL FOR BIG PROBS.

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