B767-300 and 300 ER
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150; Flight Crew Total 20000; Flight Crew Type 150
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors
10 miles before Idula (level at 5700 meters) controller cleared us to 7700 meters and handed us over to the next controller. When checking in we called out of 6100 meters for 7700 meters. The controller with urgency in his voice; told us to get back down to 5700 meters. I clicked the auto pilot off and pushed the aircraft over and got back to 5700 meters in a hurry. At that time I got on the radio and told the controller that we were cleared to 7700 meters and read it back very clearly. From that point on the controller did not want to talk about it. I asked him if he wanted to submit a report; he came back with (I'll call you back) he never did. My guess is there was a miscommunication between the two controller's and they wanted this to just go away. I have been to China many times and am very aware of problems with communications and the problems with language. That is why I am very clear about repeating alt; heading. (Right turn- Romeo side; left turn- lemma side).
Climbing out we were given a climb to 5700 meters. As we were leveling off; the controller gave us a new altitude of 7700 meters which I read back very clearly to make sure. After we started climbing to the new altitude; the controller handed us off to a new Controller and when I checked in with him; I gave him our current altitude that we were at and the altitude we were climbing to which was 7700 meters. That controller told us negative and to descend back to 5700 feet which we immediately did. After complying with that clearance; the Captain questioned the new controller and told him that the previous controller gave us the wrong altitude of 7700 meters. ATC never said anything else about it. I believe the controllers had a miscommunication between the two facilities because we were very clear to them about our clearance. I don't believe we could have done anything else to prevent the situation. We were very clear with the read back and the Chinese sometimes have a hard time saying what they mean. By reading back the clearance clearly; we at least alerted the later controller of an incorrect clearance and we complied with the amended clearance he gave us without hesitation.
B767-300 flight crew at 5;700 meters is cleared to 7;700 meters and switched to a new Controller. Upon being informed of the altitude assignment; the crew is told to descend immediately to 5;700 meters by the new Controller.