Narrative:

I called for my IFR clearance to orf on pope AFB's clearance delivery frequency. While listening to the clearance, I realized I needed to stop at the johnston county airport, because I could not get fuel at pope AFB. I continued to copy the clearance. However, when the controller finished, I asked if I could proceed VFR to johnston county. He responded that I would have to go in, and refile a new flight plan. Due to work on and around the runway, pope had been closed, and was opened only long enough for us to land, drop off, and depart on a very quick turn, so I opted to leave on the original clearance. I read back the original clearance with some errors in the routing, and an initial altitude of 3000 ft. The controller promptly read the correct routing to me, but made no mention of the altitude. I read back the clearance as I had written it down, and was told 'readback correct.' the problem arose as the result of the controller stating that my readback was correct, confirming to me that my altitude was, in fact, 3000 ft initially and to expect 13000 ft in 10 mins. When I was handed from tower to approach, I checked in at 3000 ft. The approach controller asked me to 'say altitude,' to which I replied '2800 ft, leveling at 3000 ft.' he then told me that I had been cleared to 2000 ft. Before I could respond, he cleared me up to 10000 ft. Problem: pope clearance delivery confirmed an incorrect altitude 'readback.' problem arose from confusion and being pushed to hurry. Discovered: when approach asked for altitude, and informed me of a lower altitude 'assignment.' contributing factors; hurried environment, and missed error in readback, as well as confirmation of that error. Corrective actions: slow down and listen more carefully.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CHARTER PLT RECEIVING AN IFR CLRNC TOOK A COUPLE OF TRIES BEFORE HE AND THE CTLR AGREED ON THE READBACK. UNFORTUNATELY, SOMEWHERE IN THE COM CONFUSION THE CORRECT ALT WAS MISINTERPED.

Narrative: I CALLED FOR MY IFR CLRNC TO ORF ON POPE AFB'S CLRNC DELIVERY FREQ. WHILE LISTENING TO THE CLRNC, I REALIZED I NEEDED TO STOP AT THE JOHNSTON COUNTY ARPT, BECAUSE I COULD NOT GET FUEL AT POPE AFB. I CONTINUED TO COPY THE CLRNC. HOWEVER, WHEN THE CTLR FINISHED, I ASKED IF I COULD PROCEED VFR TO JOHNSTON COUNTY. HE RESPONDED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO GO IN, AND REFILE A NEW FLT PLAN. DUE TO WORK ON AND AROUND THE RWY, POPE HAD BEEN CLOSED, AND WAS OPENED ONLY LONG ENOUGH FOR US TO LAND, DROP OFF, AND DEPART ON A VERY QUICK TURN, SO I OPTED TO LEAVE ON THE ORIGINAL CLRNC. I READ BACK THE ORIGINAL CLRNC WITH SOME ERRORS IN THE ROUTING, AND AN INITIAL ALT OF 3000 FT. THE CTLR PROMPTLY READ THE CORRECT ROUTING TO ME, BUT MADE NO MENTION OF THE ALT. I READ BACK THE CLRNC AS I HAD WRITTEN IT DOWN, AND WAS TOLD 'READBACK CORRECT.' THE PROB AROSE AS THE RESULT OF THE CTLR STATING THAT MY READBACK WAS CORRECT, CONFIRMING TO ME THAT MY ALT WAS, IN FACT, 3000 FT INITIALLY AND TO EXPECT 13000 FT IN 10 MINS. WHEN I WAS HANDED FROM TWR TO APCH, I CHKED IN AT 3000 FT. THE APCH CTLR ASKED ME TO 'SAY ALT,' TO WHICH I REPLIED '2800 FT, LEVELING AT 3000 FT.' HE THEN TOLD ME THAT I HAD BEEN CLRED TO 2000 FT. BEFORE I COULD RESPOND, HE CLRED ME UP TO 10000 FT. PROB: POPE CLRNC DELIVERY CONFIRMED AN INCORRECT ALT 'READBACK.' PROB AROSE FROM CONFUSION AND BEING PUSHED TO HURRY. DISCOVERED: WHEN APCH ASKED FOR ALT, AND INFORMED ME OF A LOWER ALT 'ASSIGNMENT.' CONTRIBUTING FACTORS; HURRIED ENVIRONMENT, AND MISSED ERROR IN READBACK, AS WELL AS CONFIRMATION OF THAT ERROR. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: SLOW DOWN AND LISTEN MORE CAREFULLY.

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.