B737-800
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors; Procedure
During climb; received climb clearance to 17;000 FT. While climbing with autopilot engaged (as pilot flying) we received clearance to 'Climb to 280.' I believe First Officer readback 'Climb 17 for 280.' First Officer reset altitude set window and pointed; I confirmed FL280 by pointing and [stating] verbally '280'. As we were climbing through FL180 ATC called with '[Company] say altitude climbing to.' First Officer responded 'FL280.' ATC said 'Stop your climb; descend to 17;000. Then Controller said; 'I said turn to heading 280.' First Officer reset altitude to 17;000. I stopped climb at 18;200 FT. We reset our altimeters to last setting and descended to 17;000. After level; First Officer queried ATC with 'Are we having or going to have any issues?' ATC Controller said 'No.' At no time was there any doubt in either of our minds that we were cleared to FL280 by this Controller. This was a correctly applied procedure with readback of our ATC instructions by this crew to this Controller; and we were professional in all of our procedures and techniques.
[Narrative 2 contains no additional information.]
B737-800 flight crew heard and read back clearance from Center Controller to 'climb to 280.' During subsequent climb; Controller advised flight crew that the clearance was for 'heading 280.'