Narrative:

After being cleared for the ILS runway 27R approach at oak, we contacted oak tower. Over cases OM, tower asked how the approach would terminate (ILS runway 27R, circle to land runway 9 in use). We advised tower we would like to circle then execute published missed approach, then return to sql. Tower advised us to descend on GS to circle minimums, then start a right turn before reaching the approach end of runway 27R. Tower called our right turn approximately 1/2 mi before approach end of runway 27R and advised us to maintain VFR in the turn out. I was looking for traffic and took control of the airplane as my student removed her foggles. In the turn, she said 'he wants 1200.' I did not hear tower and should have verified, but did not. As we rolled out on right downwind for runway 27R, we leveled off about 1400 ft. Tower asked what we were squawking and I answered 1200. He said 'that's not what I want, re-enter downwind -- I've got faster traffic inbound on the ILS runway 27R, a seminole.' (we were in a BE55, much faster than a seminole.) we turned right to re-enter downwind. The controller then asked what type of aircraft we were (he forgot he had been responding to us as baron). Then he asked what we were doing. We told him we were re- entering downwind as requested. He said 'that's not what I wanted you to do, maintain VFR at or below 1500 ft and contact hwd tower now.' hwd cleared us via the standard routing back to sql. This situation shows how many small simple errors in communications can come together to create large amounts of confusion on both sides of coin. None of this would have happened if I, as PIC, had verified the 'new' squawk and the controller had remembered what type aircraft we were.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR PLT OF A BEECH BARON BE55 FAILED TO FOLLOW TWR CLRNC DURING A PRACTICE ILS APCH RESULTING IN ATC INTERVENTION TO REDIRECT RPTR IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION WITH A PIPER SEMINOLE PA44 ON FINAL APCH. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE MISUNDERSTANDING OF TWR CLRNC HEARD BY THE TRAINEE AND AS RELAYED TO THE INSTRUCTOR WHO HAD NOT HEARD THE TWR INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: AFTER BEING CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 27R APCH AT OAK, WE CONTACTED OAK TWR. OVER CASES OM, TWR ASKED HOW THE APCH WOULD TERMINATE (ILS RWY 27R, CIRCLE TO LAND RWY 9 IN USE). WE ADVISED TWR WE WOULD LIKE TO CIRCLE THEN EXECUTE PUBLISHED MISSED APCH, THEN RETURN TO SQL. TWR ADVISED US TO DSND ON GS TO CIRCLE MINIMUMS, THEN START A R TURN BEFORE REACHING THE APCH END OF RWY 27R. TWR CALLED OUR R TURN APPROX 1/2 MI BEFORE APCH END OF RWY 27R AND ADVISED US TO MAINTAIN VFR IN THE TURN OUT. I WAS LOOKING FOR TFC AND TOOK CTL OF THE AIRPLANE AS MY STUDENT REMOVED HER FOGGLES. IN THE TURN, SHE SAID 'HE WANTS 1200.' I DID NOT HEAR TWR AND SHOULD HAVE VERIFIED, BUT DID NOT. AS WE ROLLED OUT ON R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 27R, WE LEVELED OFF ABOUT 1400 FT. TWR ASKED WHAT WE WERE SQUAWKING AND I ANSWERED 1200. HE SAID 'THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANT, RE-ENTER DOWNWIND -- I'VE GOT FASTER TFC INBOUND ON THE ILS RWY 27R, A SEMINOLE.' (WE WERE IN A BE55, MUCH FASTER THAN A SEMINOLE.) WE TURNED R TO RE-ENTER DOWNWIND. THE CTLR THEN ASKED WHAT TYPE OF ACFT WE WERE (HE FORGOT HE HAD BEEN RESPONDING TO US AS BARON). THEN HE ASKED WHAT WE WERE DOING. WE TOLD HIM WE WERE RE- ENTERING DOWNWIND AS REQUESTED. HE SAID 'THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANTED YOU TO DO, MAINTAIN VFR AT OR BELOW 1500 FT AND CONTACT HWD TWR NOW.' HWD CLRED US VIA THE STANDARD ROUTING BACK TO SQL. THIS SIT SHOWS HOW MANY SMALL SIMPLE ERRORS IN COMS CAN COME TOGETHER TO CREATE LARGE AMOUNTS OF CONFUSION ON BOTH SIDES OF COIN. NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I, AS PIC, HAD VERIFIED THE 'NEW' SQUAWK AND THE CTLR HAD REMEMBERED WHAT TYPE ACFT WE WERE.

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.