Narrative:

I had just climbed out of mdt to an altitude of 7000 ft. I was experiencing severe turbulence. After an amended clearance I had broken out on top of the clouds at 7000 ft, leaving high cumulus clouds behind and severe turbulence. The controller told me (aircraft xa) to descend and maintain 5000 ft. I did this and sure enough back into severe turbulence. I told the controller my flight conditions and requested 7000 ft. Again, he said no, so I requested 9000 ft. He said, 'xa you are on the edge of too many different controled airspace, you will have to turn back toward a heading of 280 degrees and back track.' as I was desperate to get out of the turbulence, I had accepted. The controller said, 'turn to 280 degrees if you want 9000 ft.' so I had said left 280 degrees and up to 9000 ft. Meanwhile, every other aircraft in this sector was stepping on each other trying to talk. All were complaining about severe turbulence. Somewhere in the midst of all the people trying to call harrisburg approach at the same time, the controller claims he told me to level at 6000 ft. I don't recall this clearance. As I climbed through 7500 ft for 9000 ft, controller said, 'xa, say altitude.' so I did. He said, 'xa, I told you to maintain 6000 ft, descend immediately.' I said, 'xa, roger.' mins later, just before receiving my new clearance, I flew into VFR on top conditions. So I canceled IFR and resumed my own navigation under VFR to hfd on top.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT EXPERIENCED SEVERE TURB AND MISUNDERSTOOD AN ARTCC OPTION AS CLRNC. PLT DEPARTED ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: I HAD JUST CLBED OUT OF MDT TO AN ALT OF 7000 FT. I WAS EXPERIENCING SEVERE TURB. AFTER AN AMENDED CLRNC I HAD BROKEN OUT ON TOP OF THE CLOUDS AT 7000 FT, LEAVING HIGH CUMULUS CLOUDS BEHIND AND SEVERE TURB. THE CTLR TOLD ME (ACFT XA) TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 5000 FT. I DID THIS AND SURE ENOUGH BACK INTO SEVERE TURB. I TOLD THE CTLR MY FLT CONDITIONS AND REQUESTED 7000 FT. AGAIN, HE SAID NO, SO I REQUESTED 9000 FT. HE SAID, 'XA YOU ARE ON THE EDGE OF TOO MANY DIFFERENT CTLED AIRSPACE, YOU WILL HAVE TO TURN BACK TOWARD A HDG OF 280 DEGS AND BACK TRACK.' AS I WAS DESPERATE TO GET OUT OF THE TURB, I HAD ACCEPTED. THE CTLR SAID, 'TURN TO 280 DEGS IF YOU WANT 9000 FT.' SO I HAD SAID L 280 DEGS AND UP TO 9000 FT. MEANWHILE, EVERY OTHER ACFT IN THIS SECTOR WAS STEPPING ON EACH OTHER TRYING TO TALK. ALL WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT SEVERE TURB. SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDST OF ALL THE PEOPLE TRYING TO CALL HARRISBURG APCH AT THE SAME TIME, THE CTLR CLAIMS HE TOLD ME TO LEVEL AT 6000 FT. I DON'T RECALL THIS CLRNC. AS I CLBED THROUGH 7500 FT FOR 9000 FT, CTLR SAID, 'XA, SAY ALT.' SO I DID. HE SAID, 'XA, I TOLD YOU TO MAINTAIN 6000 FT, DSND IMMEDIATELY.' I SAID, 'XA, ROGER.' MINS LATER, JUST BEFORE RECEIVING MY NEW CLRNC, I FLEW INTO VFR ON TOP CONDITIONS. SO I CANCELED IFR AND RESUMED MY OWN NAV UNDER VFR TO HFD ON TOP.

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.