Beech 35 pilot level at wrong altitude for the direction of flight resulting in nuw approach controller providing separation with another aircraft.

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Attributes
ACN	556710
Time
Date	200208
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : nuw.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl single value : 3600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	556710
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : altimeter other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Entered class C (whidbey NAS) and told whidbey I was 3600 ft to fhr. I was radar idented and it checked. After about 10 mins, whidbey called traffic opposite direction at 3500 ft. I responded 'no contact.' whidbey then told me to turn 30 degrees to the right and told oncoming traffic to do the same. I had visual contact with other aircraft at this time and it was no factor or conflict. However, pilot of the other aircraft asked whidbey for my tail number, implying he was interested in filing a wrong altitude for direction complaint. I called the supervisor at whidbey NAS 15 mins later after landing at fhr. He told me he was aware of the confusion, the controller was busy at the time and as far as he was concerned there was no immediate conflict and they were not filing any complaint. For my part, I assumed that as long as 3600 ft MSL was ok with the controller there would be no problem. In hindsight, I should have been at 4500 ft MSL for direction of flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BEECH 35 PLT LEVEL AT WRONG ALT FOR THE DIRECTION OF FLT RESULTING IN NUW APCH CTLR PROVIDING SEPARATION WITH ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: ENTERED CLASS C (WHIDBEY NAS) AND TOLD WHIDBEY I WAS 3600 FT TO FHR. I WAS RADAR IDENTED AND IT CHKED. AFTER ABOUT 10 MINS, WHIDBEY CALLED TFC OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT 3500 FT. I RESPONDED 'NO CONTACT.' WHIDBEY THEN TOLD ME TO TURN 30 DEGS TO THE R AND TOLD ONCOMING TFC TO DO THE SAME. I HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH OTHER ACFT AT THIS TIME AND IT WAS NO FACTOR OR CONFLICT. HOWEVER, PLT OF THE OTHER ACFT ASKED WHIDBEY FOR MY TAIL NUMBER, IMPLYING HE WAS INTERESTED IN FILING A WRONG ALT FOR DIRECTION COMPLAINT. I CALLED THE SUPVR AT WHIDBEY NAS 15 MINS LATER AFTER LNDG AT FHR. HE TOLD ME HE WAS AWARE OF THE CONFUSION, THE CTLR WAS BUSY AT THE TIME AND AS FAR AS HE WAS CONCERNED THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE CONFLICT AND THEY WERE NOT FILING ANY COMPLAINT. FOR MY PART, I ASSUMED THAT AS LONG AS 3600 FT MSL WAS OK WITH THE CTLR THERE WOULD BE NO PROB. IN HINDSIGHT, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT 4500 FT MSL FOR DIRECTION OF FLT.

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.