Small aircraft misunderstands climb clearance, has near midair collision.

Attributes
ACN	283626
Time
Date	199409
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aus
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : aus tower : ict
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Electra L-188
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 82 flight time total : 510 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	283626
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : nmac non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The problem arose when tower cleared me to change heading and climb to assigned altitude of 5000 ft. (This was my understanding) I was handed off to departure at which point they cleared me to 4000 ft. I don't remember the 4000 ft clearance and instead climbed to 5000 ft. Another aircraft (a 4 engine turboprop 'electra') crossed from right to left in front of me at 5000 ft. I had visual contact with the other aircraft prior to reaching 5000 ft and as it crossed in front of me. I passed behind the 'electra' without having to perform evasive maneuvers. I would estimate we came within 500 ft of each other. I believe several factors contributed to this. I was flying an aircraft relatively new to me. I had 7.1 hours dual in that aircraft and this was my 1ST flight in that aircraft alone. Just prior to this takeoff, I had taken off and the cockpit door had opened in flight. This necessitated a landing to close and secure the door. On the second takeoff and climb out, the incident occurred. I believe I must have miscommunicated with ATC about altitude clearance because of those factors. To prevent any recurrence on my part of miscommunicating clrncs, I will note all altitude and heading changes on a knee board. I have renewed the pilots operating handbook for all system and emergency sits. I have scheduled additional dual time to perform approachs under simulated instrument conditions. I believe ATC should have given better horizontal separation between aircraft. I believe ATC should have recognized the 2 aircraft were on course to be within 500 ft of each other and given instructions to change heading.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA MISUNDERSTANDS CLB CLRNC, HAS NMAC.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE WHEN TWR CLRED ME TO CHANGE HDG AND CLB TO ASSIGNED ALT OF 5000 FT. (THIS WAS MY UNDERSTANDING) I WAS HANDED OFF TO DEP AT WHICH POINT THEY CLRED ME TO 4000 FT. I DON'T REMEMBER THE 4000 FT CLRNC AND INSTEAD CLBED TO 5000 FT. ANOTHER ACFT (A 4 ENG TURBOPROP 'ELECTRA') CROSSED FROM R TO L IN FRONT OF ME AT 5000 FT. I HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE OTHER ACFT PRIOR TO REACHING 5000 FT AND AS IT CROSSED IN FRONT OF ME. I PASSED BEHIND THE 'ELECTRA' WITHOUT HAVING TO PERFORM EVASIVE MANEUVERS. I WOULD ESTIMATE WE CAME WITHIN 500 FT OF EACH OTHER. I BELIEVE SEVERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS. I WAS FLYING AN ACFT RELATIVELY NEW TO ME. I HAD 7.1 HRS DUAL IN THAT ACFT AND THIS WAS MY 1ST FLT IN THAT ACFT ALONE. JUST PRIOR TO THIS TKOF, I HAD TAKEN OFF AND THE COCKPIT DOOR HAD OPENED IN FLT. THIS NECESSITATED A LNDG TO CLOSE AND SECURE THE DOOR. ON THE SECOND TKOF AND CLBOUT, THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. I BELIEVE I MUST HAVE MISCOMMUNICATED WITH ATC ABOUT ALT CLRNC BECAUSE OF THOSE FACTORS. TO PREVENT ANY RECURRENCE ON MY PART OF MISCOMMUNICATING CLRNCS, I WILL NOTE ALL ALT AND HDG CHANGES ON A KNEE BOARD. I HAVE RENEWED THE PLTS OPERATING HANDBOOK FOR ALL SYS AND EMER SITS. I HAVE SCHEDULED ADDITIONAL DUAL TIME TO PERFORM APCHS UNDER SIMULATED INST CONDITIONS. I BELIEVE ATC SHOULD HAVE GIVEN BETTER HORIZ SEPARATION BTWN ACFT. I BELIEVE ATC SHOULD HAVE RECOGNIZED THE 2 ACFT WERE ON COURSE TO BE WITHIN 500 FT OF EACH OTHER AND GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO CHANGE HDG.

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.