Narrative:

On the prado 1 departure from ont we were climbing to 7000' and given traffic at 10 O'clock, descending to 8000'. On my readback I said we'd be sure to level at 7000'. We intercepted the pdz 130 degree right. Shortly thereafter the controller said, 'I'll be able to climb you faster if I turn you, turn left heading 110, climb and maintain 11000'.' I read back 'left to 110, climb to 11000.' as the climb continued we broke out on top, saw the traffic and the captain and I discussed how this was going to work out west/O having less than legal sep. Just then the controller said, 'traffic at 2 O'clock, 3 mi (hesitation) I cleared you to 7000'.' I responded, 'you cleared us to 11000', visual sep's ok.' the controller then said, 'maintain visual sep, climb to 14000'.' the problem may have arisen with confusion between the 110 degree heading and the 11000' altitude similarity. The problem may have been prevented had I read back the clearance in such a way as to make the controller think again about the oncoming traffic. I have been told by controllers that unless you phrase your readback in some way that is non standard, the controller will not be listening if very busy. I was very aware of the potential conflict with the traffic and was concerned with climb as soon as it was issued but assumed the controller had turned us sufficiently to pass behind the traffic.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG CLIMBED THROUGH THE ALT OF INBOUND ACFT RESULTING IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: ON THE PRADO 1 DEP FROM ONT WE WERE CLBING TO 7000' AND GIVEN TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK, DSNDING TO 8000'. ON MY READBACK I SAID WE'D BE SURE TO LEVEL AT 7000'. WE INTERCEPTED THE PDZ 130 DEG R. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE CTLR SAID, 'I'LL BE ABLE TO CLB YOU FASTER IF I TURN YOU, TURN LEFT HDG 110, CLB AND MAINTAIN 11000'.' I READ BACK 'LEFT TO 110, CLB TO 11000.' AS THE CLB CONTINUED WE BROKE OUT ON TOP, SAW THE TFC AND THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED HOW THIS WAS GOING TO WORK OUT W/O HAVING LESS THAN LEGAL SEP. JUST THEN THE CTLR SAID, 'TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK, 3 MI (HESITATION) I CLRED YOU TO 7000'.' I RESPONDED, 'YOU CLRED US TO 11000', VISUAL SEP'S OK.' THE CTLR THEN SAID, 'MAINTAIN VISUAL SEP, CLB TO 14000'.' THE PROB MAY HAVE ARISEN WITH CONFUSION BTWN THE 110 DEG HDG AND THE 11000' ALT SIMILARITY. THE PROB MAY HAVE BEEN PREVENTED HAD I READ BACK THE CLRNC IN SUCH A WAY AS TO MAKE THE CTLR THINK AGAIN ABOUT THE ONCOMING TFC. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY CTLRS THAT UNLESS YOU PHRASE YOUR READBACK IN SOME WAY THAT IS NON STANDARD, THE CTLR WILL NOT BE LISTENING IF VERY BUSY. I WAS VERY AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH THE TFC AND WAS CONCERNED WITH CLB AS SOON AS IT WAS ISSUED BUT ASSUMED THE CTLR HAD TURNED US SUFFICIENTLY TO PASS BEHIND THE TFC.

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.