2 in C172 and 3 FAA controllers and still a question of assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	502030
Time
Date	200102
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dpa.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3800 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 31 flight time total : 205 flight time type : 53
ASRS Report	502030
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

The flight was an IFR flight in VMC from dpa to laf. I received my clearance from dpa clearance delivery. As the route was completely different from what I had filed, I asked the controller to repeat it. The controller repeated only the route of flight information of the clearance. I read back the route to the controller, but omitted the remainder of the clearance (altitude, departure frequency, squawk code, etc). The controller replied, '...readback correct.' before takeoff, the controller issued a new departure frequency and I confirmed the transponder code. I did not confirm the altitude I was supposed to climb and maintain, which I thought was 4000 ft MSL. I was cleared for takeoff and told to '...turn right heading 160 degrees.' after takeoff, I was told to contact chicago departure. My safety pilot contacted departure and reported, '...climbing through 1200 ft for 4000 ft.' the controller acknowledged 'radar contact' but said nothing of the altitude my safety pilot reported we were climbing to. We continued on heading 160 degrees and continued to climb. At about 3800 ft MSL, departure asked what altitude I was climbing to and 'who assigned 4000 ft?' I still do not know what altitude I was originally assigned. This could have been prevented by clearance delivery asking me to read the entire clearance back by chicago departure confirming my altitude assignment or, most importantly, by my asking any of the controllers to confirm my altitude clearance in spite of embarrassment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 IN C172 AND 3 FAA CTLRS AND STILL A QUESTION OF ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS AN IFR FLT IN VMC FROM DPA TO LAF. I RECEIVED MY CLRNC FROM DPA CLRNC DELIVERY. AS THE RTE WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I HAD FILED, I ASKED THE CTLR TO REPEAT IT. THE CTLR REPEATED ONLY THE RTE OF FLT INFO OF THE CLRNC. I READ BACK THE RTE TO THE CTLR, BUT OMITTED THE REMAINDER OF THE CLRNC (ALT, DEP FREQ, SQUAWK CODE, ETC). THE CTLR REPLIED, '...READBACK CORRECT.' BEFORE TKOF, THE CTLR ISSUED A NEW DEP FREQ AND I CONFIRMED THE XPONDER CODE. I DID NOT CONFIRM THE ALT I WAS SUPPOSED TO CLB AND MAINTAIN, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS 4000 FT MSL. I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF AND TOLD TO '...TURN R HDG 160 DEGS.' AFTER TKOF, I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT CHICAGO DEP. MY SAFETY PLT CONTACTED DEP AND RPTED, '...CLBING THROUGH 1200 FT FOR 4000 FT.' THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED 'RADAR CONTACT' BUT SAID NOTHING OF THE ALT MY SAFETY PLT RPTED WE WERE CLBING TO. WE CONTINUED ON HDG 160 DEGS AND CONTINUED TO CLB. AT ABOUT 3800 FT MSL, DEP ASKED WHAT ALT I WAS CLBING TO AND 'WHO ASSIGNED 4000 FT?' I STILL DO NOT KNOW WHAT ALT I WAS ORIGINALLY ASSIGNED. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY CLRNC DELIVERY ASKING ME TO READ THE ENTIRE CLRNC BACK BY CHICAGO DEP CONFIRMING MY ALT ASSIGNMENT OR, MOST IMPORTANTLY, BY MY ASKING ANY OF THE CTLRS TO CONFIRM MY ALT CLRNC IN SPITE OF EMBARRASSMENT.

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.