Private pilot of a beech duke, BE60, responded to departure clearance to climb to a higher altitude and then was told part way through climb that he really was not cleared to a higher altitude. Since the reporter did not expect a higher altitude, he carefully read back the higher altitude, but apparently, the controller did not catch the altitude readback.

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Attributes
ACN	408110
Time
Date	199807
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hub
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah tracon : dfw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Duke 60
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 750 flight time type : 130
ASRS Report	408110
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was initially given a vector and told to climb to 2500 ft. I was then given another vector, and was told 4500 ft, which I repeated back (no correction given to me by ATC). At 3000 ft, I was asked to 'say altitude,' and discovered ATC expected me at 2500 ft. Altitude was promptly corrected. I did not expect the clearance to 4500 ft, which is why I carefully repeated the vector and altitude back.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF A BEECH DUKE, BE60, RESPONDED TO DEP CLRNC TO CLB TO A HIGHER ALT AND THEN WAS TOLD PART WAY THROUGH CLB THAT HE REALLY WAS NOT CLRED TO A HIGHER ALT. SINCE THE RPTR DID NOT EXPECT A HIGHER ALT, HE CAREFULLY READ BACK THE HIGHER ALT, BUT APPARENTLY, THE CTLR DID NOT CATCH THE ALT READBACK.

Narrative: I WAS INITIALLY GIVEN A VECTOR AND TOLD TO CLB TO 2500 FT. I WAS THEN GIVEN ANOTHER VECTOR, AND WAS TOLD 4500 FT, WHICH I REPEATED BACK (NO CORRECTION GIVEN TO ME BY ATC). AT 3000 FT, I WAS ASKED TO 'SAY ALT,' AND DISCOVERED ATC EXPECTED ME AT 2500 FT. ALT WAS PROMPTLY CORRECTED. I DID NOT EXPECT THE CLRNC TO 4500 FT, WHICH IS WHY I CAREFULLY REPEATED THE VECTOR AND ALT BACK.

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.