Narrative:

A student pilot with around 90 hours and I received an IFR clearance for our aircraft. About 15 mins before departure time, set for XA00 am local time. The clearance told us to climb initially to 2000 ft MSL and to expect 9000 ft MSL in 10 mins. After flying under vectors issued by ZME or departure, I can't remember which now, we were told to climb to 9000 ft. Upon reaching 5500 or controller inquired about our altitude. After reporting 5500, he informed us that we were cleared to 5000 not 9000 ft. Assuming he was right, we descended to 5000 MSL. Less than 2 mins later, we were cleared to 9000 MSL. When I returned to H75, hernando, ms, a day later, I learned from mr X's instructor, that we had been cleared to 9000 MSL in fact and the controller hadn't said 5000. Mr X's instructor, mr Y, had been listening to the entire exchange by scanner and affirmed my doubts as to the controller's instructions. If the controller knew he had made an error in issuing his clearance, then he should have stated so and amended the altitude professionally rather than place the blame on the pilot intending to cover for his own mistake.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CFI WITH STUDENT ON AN IFR FLT WERE ADVISED BY ATC THAT THEY HAD OVERSHOT THEIR CLRNC ALT WHEN IN FACT THEY HAD NOT.

Narrative: A STUDENT PLT WITH AROUND 90 HRS AND I RECEIVED AN IFR CLRNC FOR OUR ACFT. ABOUT 15 MINS BEFORE DEP TIME, SET FOR XA00 AM LCL TIME. THE CLRNC TOLD US TO CLB INITIALLY TO 2000 FT MSL AND TO EXPECT 9000 FT MSL IN 10 MINS. AFTER FLYING UNDER VECTORS ISSUED BY ZME OR DEP, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH NOW, WE WERE TOLD TO CLB TO 9000 FT. UPON REACHING 5500 OR CTLR INQUIRED ABOUT OUR ALT. AFTER RPTING 5500, HE INFORMED US THAT WE WERE CLRED TO 5000 NOT 9000 FT. ASSUMING HE WAS RIGHT, WE DSNDED TO 5000 MSL. LESS THAN 2 MINS LATER, WE WERE CLRED TO 9000 MSL. WHEN I RETURNED TO H75, HERNANDO, MS, A DAY LATER, I LEARNED FROM MR X'S INSTRUCTOR, THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 9000 MSL IN FACT AND THE CTLR HADN'T SAID 5000. MR X'S INSTRUCTOR, MR Y, HAD BEEN LISTENING TO THE ENTIRE EXCHANGE BY SCANNER AND AFFIRMED MY DOUBTS AS TO THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS. IF THE CTLR KNEW HE HAD MADE AN ERROR IN ISSUING HIS CLRNC, THEN HE SHOULD HAVE STATED SO AND AMENDED THE ALT PROFESSIONALLY RATHER THAN PLACE THE BLAME ON THE PLT INTENDING TO COVER FOR HIS OWN MISTAKE.

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.