Corp flight crew cleared to climb. Does climb. Told return to previous altitude.

Attributes
ACN	146423
Time
Date	199005
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : arr
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zau
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	146423
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 8900 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	146130
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 30000 vertical : 750
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We departed aurora, il, on a cavu day to fly to ann arbor, mi, to sell the aircraft. The owner was flying and I flew copilot. In a space of about 20-25 min we were given about 7 altitude changes including being cleared to FL210 at one time. Also we were given so many heading changes to go over petty intersection (we filed over giper). We couldn't believe it and were annoyed with ATC. After the controller cleared us to FL210 he later told us to maintain FL190. At FL190 I made a phone call to check on arrangements at the other end while the pilot flew the airplane. Just as I was coming off the phone I heard something on the radio that sounded like 'FL210'. Started to climb again to FL210 as I acknowledged 'identification leaving FL190 for FL210' the controller came back and said 'return to FL190' and that there was a military IFR traffic within 5 mi at FL200. We noted we had climbed to FL190, 250, and returned to FL190. The controller gave us a phone number to call when at ann arbor. That phone call told us they thought we went to FL190, 400 and were too close to the military aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP FLT CREW CLEARED TO CLIMB. DOES CLIMB. TOLD RETURN TO PREVIOUS ALT.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED AURORA, IL, ON A CAVU DAY TO FLY TO ANN ARBOR, MI, TO SELL THE ACFT. THE OWNER WAS FLYING AND I FLEW COPLT. IN A SPACE OF ABOUT 20-25 MIN WE WERE GIVEN ABOUT 7 ALT CHANGES INCLUDING BEING CLRED TO FL210 AT ONE TIME. ALSO WE WERE GIVEN SO MANY HDG CHANGES TO GO OVER PETTY INTXN (WE FILED OVER GIPER). WE COULDN'T BELIEVE IT AND WERE ANNOYED WITH ATC. AFTER THE CTLR CLRED US TO FL210 HE LATER TOLD US TO MAINTAIN FL190. AT FL190 I MADE A PHONE CALL TO CHK ON ARRANGEMENTS AT THE OTHER END WHILE THE PLT FLEW THE AIRPLANE. JUST AS I WAS COMING OFF THE PHONE I HEARD SOMETHING ON THE RADIO THAT SOUNDED LIKE 'FL210'. STARTED TO CLB AGAIN TO FL210 AS I ACKNOWLEDGED 'ID LEAVING FL190 FOR FL210' THE CTLR CAME BACK AND SAID 'RETURN TO FL190' AND THAT THERE WAS A MIL IFR TFC WITHIN 5 MI AT FL200. WE NOTED WE HAD CLBED TO FL190, 250, AND RETURNED TO FL190. THE CTLR GAVE US A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL WHEN AT ANN ARBOR. THAT PHONE CALL TOLD US THEY THOUGHT WE WENT TO FL190, 400 AND WERE TOO CLOSE TO THE MIL ACFT.

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