C172 pilot had clearance mixup with ATC.

Attributes
ACN	422070
Time
Date	199812
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gfl
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 325 flight time type : 275
ASRS Report	422070
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Soft IFR conditions prevailed. I filed an IFR flight plan with burlington, vt, flight service for a flight from alb to gfl for a practice approach. I told the briefer I would probably also do approachs at saratoga springs, ny (5b2) and schenectady, ny (sch). I completed the ILS 1 at gfl as a low approach, and reported back to alb approach that I would like to proceed to 5b2 for the VOR a. The controller asked me if I heard him say 'cancel IFR with me in the air or with burlington on the ground.' I replied that I hadn't. The controller then informed me that my flight plan had been to gfl only with no other approachs anywhere else, and that my low approach to gfl was unauthorized. I was then vectored to 5b2 for the VOR-a in a very roundabout way. I've filed and flown many other round-robins just like this without a problem. I should have specifically noted with flight service that this trip would be one with multiple approachs, and then confirmed that with the alb departure controller as I was being vectored to gfl. Because of the marginal visibility that day, the controllers were very busy, and I'm sorry that I inadvertently added to their stress levels with the confusion. The alb controllers are a professional and dedicated group of individuals, and they handled this situation in stride.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT HAD CLRNC MIXUP WITH ATC.

Narrative: SOFT IFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED. I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN WITH BURLINGTON, VT, FLT SVC FOR A FLT FROM ALB TO GFL FOR A PRACTICE APCH. I TOLD THE BRIEFER I WOULD PROBABLY ALSO DO APCHS AT SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY (5B2) AND SCHENECTADY, NY (SCH). I COMPLETED THE ILS 1 AT GFL AS A LOW APCH, AND RPTED BACK TO ALB APCH THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED TO 5B2 FOR THE VOR A. THE CTLR ASKED ME IF I HEARD HIM SAY 'CANCEL IFR WITH ME IN THE AIR OR WITH BURLINGTON ON THE GND.' I REPLIED THAT I HADN'T. THE CTLR THEN INFORMED ME THAT MY FLT PLAN HAD BEEN TO GFL ONLY WITH NO OTHER APCHS ANYWHERE ELSE, AND THAT MY LOW APCH TO GFL WAS UNAUTH. I WAS THEN VECTORED TO 5B2 FOR THE VOR-A IN A VERY ROUNDABOUT WAY. I'VE FILED AND FLOWN MANY OTHER ROUND-ROBINS JUST LIKE THIS WITHOUT A PROB. I SHOULD HAVE SPECIFICALLY NOTED WITH FLT SVC THAT THIS TRIP WOULD BE ONE WITH MULTIPLE APCHS, AND THEN CONFIRMED THAT WITH THE ALB DEP CTLR AS I WAS BEING VECTORED TO GFL. BECAUSE OF THE MARGINAL VISIBILITY THAT DAY, THE CTLRS WERE VERY BUSY, AND I'M SORRY THAT I INADVERTENTLY ADDED TO THEIR STRESS LEVELS WITH THE CONFUSION. THE ALB CTLRS ARE A PROFESSIONAL AND DEDICATED GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, AND THEY HANDLED THIS SIT IN STRIDE.

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.