Narrative:

Problem arose when controller discontinued vectors and told me direct my destination, which was only about 20 NM from departure airport (hayward direct concord). I was confused by 'direct to concord,' whether VOR or airport. Controllers were very busy and I didn't clarify. In trying to orient myself (unfamiliar area, airspace), I let the plane climb through assigned altitude (5000 ft MSL) to 5500 ft MSL. Controller alerted me and I returned to altitude. The intensity of the radio traffic made communication difficult. My confusion was aggravated by a circling climb to 5000 ft and then a release 'direct to....' I later determined that the controller had pointed me at the VOR for the normal lda approach to concord. Because the distance was so short, I found myself continuously behind on the navigation. To avoid further deviations, I canceled over the destination and completed the flight VFR (at the time, with 'travis approach'). I feel an immediate request for clarification would have resulted in a routine flight and approach, per the admonitions of our patient instructors and training manuals. Lesson reinforced.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A C182 OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT DURING CLBOUT RESULTING IN CTLR INTERVENTION AND THE RPTR RETURNING TO ASSIGNED.

Narrative: PROB AROSE WHEN CTLR DISCONTINUED VECTORS AND TOLD ME DIRECT MY DEST, WHICH WAS ONLY ABOUT 20 NM FROM DEP ARPT (HAYWARD DIRECT CONCORD). I WAS CONFUSED BY 'DIRECT TO CONCORD,' WHETHER VOR OR ARPT. CTLRS WERE VERY BUSY AND I DIDN'T CLARIFY. IN TRYING TO ORIENT MYSELF (UNFAMILIAR AREA, AIRSPACE), I LET THE PLANE CLB THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT (5000 FT MSL) TO 5500 FT MSL. CTLR ALERTED ME AND I RETURNED TO ALT. THE INTENSITY OF THE RADIO TFC MADE COM DIFFICULT. MY CONFUSION WAS AGGRAVATED BY A CIRCLING CLB TO 5000 FT AND THEN A RELEASE 'DIRECT TO....' I LATER DETERMINED THAT THE CTLR HAD POINTED ME AT THE VOR FOR THE NORMAL LDA APCH TO CONCORD. BECAUSE THE DISTANCE WAS SO SHORT, I FOUND MYSELF CONTINUOUSLY BEHIND ON THE NAV. TO AVOID FURTHER DEVS, I CANCELED OVER THE DEST AND COMPLETED THE FLT VFR (AT THE TIME, WITH 'TRAVIS APCH'). I FEEL AN IMMEDIATE REQUEST FOR CLARIFICATION WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A ROUTINE FLT AND APCH, PER THE ADMONITIONS OF OUR PATIENT INSTRUCTORS AND TRAINING MANUALS. LESSON REINFORCED.

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.