A B733 CREW; 50 NM N OF SMF; OVERSHOT AN ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative

WE WERE ON A HEADING TO INTERCEPT THE SAC 058 DEG RADIAL ON THE DUDES NINE DEP. AUTOPLT WAS ON WITH LNAV ENGAGED WITH INTERCEPT LEG TO DUDES ENTERED IN THE FMC. OUR FILED ALT WAS FL270 AND WE HAD REQUESTED FL330. I LOOKED AT THE DISPLAY AND IT INDICATED THAT WE HAD FLOWN THROUGH THE COURSE. I THEN NOTICED THAT LNAV HAD DISENGAGED. I WAS TURNING BACK TO THE COURSE AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED WHEN THE CTR CLRED US DIRECT BTY. I HAD JUST ENTERED DIRECT BTY INTO THE FMC AND EXECUTED THE COMMAND WHEN THE FO REMINDED ME THAT WE WERE ALSO CLRED TO FL330. I DIALED FL330 INTO THE ALT ALERTER ON THE MPC AND OFF WE CLBED FAT; DUMB AND HAPPY. THIS IS WHERE THE MISTAKE WAS MADE; SINCE I WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH THE FMC I HAD NOT GIVEN MY UNDIVIDED ATTN TO THE CTLR AND ACCEPTED WHAT MY FO SAID AS TRUE. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED BACK TO CTR AND CONFIRMED FL330 LIKE I NORMALLY DO BUT MY PREOCCUPATION WITH THE COMPUTER PREVENTED IT. WHEN WE WERE CLBING THROUGH FL297 THE CTLR ASKED US TO STATE OUR ALT. WE REPLIED FL297 FOR FL330; WHEREUPON THE CTLR RESPONDED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO FL290 AND TO MAINTAIN FL290. THERE WAS ANGER IN HIS VOICE. WE IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO FL290 WHEREUPON THE CTLR VERY EMPHATICALLY STATED THAT THE CLRNC WAS TO FL290 NOT FL330; AGAIN ANGER IN HIS VOICE. ONE OTHER SMALL PIECE OF INFO THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE A FACTOR WAS WHEN WE WERE FIRST HANDED OFF TO THIS CTLR WE MADE AT LEAST 3 CALLS WITH NO REPLY. WE CALLED BACK TO THE PREVIOUS CTLR TO CONFIRM THAT WE HAD THE CORRECT FREQS; WHICH WE DID; AND CALLED BACK AGAIN; AT WHICH TIME WE ESTABLISHED CONTACT. THIS INDICATES TO ME THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBLE DISTR ON THE OTHER END ALSO. ANOTHER POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THIS WAS AFTER MY SECOND NIGHT IN A ROW WAKING UP AT APPROX XA30 AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET BACK TO SLEEP; HOWEVER I DID NOT FEEL TIRED.