Narrative:

On departure from hobby, heading north (350 degrees), departure control instructed to climb to 15000 ft then immediately called back to change altitude to 5000 ft and heading 040 degrees. We acknowledged. Passing 4500 ft departure questioned our altitude and then told us he had only cleared us to 4000 ft. We descended to 4000 ft and suggested that the controller check his tapes, that the altitude assigned was 5000 ft. The controller insisted he had given us 4000 ft and that we had read it back as such. We did not pursue the conversation further, but have no doubt of our clearance to 5000 ft MSL.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC AND DEP CTLR IN A DISPUTE OVER ALT CLRED TO ON DEP TFC. CLRNC INTERP DISPUTED. ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT IN CLB.

Narrative: ON DEP FROM HOBBY, HDG N (350 DEGS), DEP CTL INSTRUCTED TO CLB TO 15000 FT THEN IMMEDIATELY CALLED BACK TO CHANGE ALT TO 5000 FT AND HDG 040 DEGS. WE ACKNOWLEDGED. PASSING 4500 FT DEP QUESTIONED OUR ALT AND THEN TOLD US HE HAD ONLY CLRED US TO 4000 FT. WE DSNDED TO 4000 FT AND SUGGESTED THAT THE CTLR CHK HIS TAPES, THAT THE ALT ASSIGNED WAS 5000 FT. THE CTLR INSISTED HE HAD GIVEN US 4000 FT AND THAT WE HAD READ IT BACK AS SUCH. WE DID NOT PURSUE THE CONVERSATION FURTHER, BUT HAVE NO DOUBT OF OUR CLRNC TO 5000 FT MSL.

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.