A military flight instructor twice verified an assigned altitude of 3;000' with ATC but after a gca ...

Attributes
ACN	809687
Time
Date	200810
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Flight Phase	landing : missed approach landing : go around
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : military
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	809687
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Aircraft X was on an instrument training flight in the local area of meridian. Aircraft X was on base leg for our second out of 3 ASR's to runway X at ZZZ; when the final controller gave climb out instruction of 'fly runway heading; climb and maintain 3 (emphasis on 'tree') thousand.' ip read back clearance with an emphasis on 'tree' because normal gca traffic climbs to 2000 ft. Aircraft X executed an early climb out due to landing traffic; and the final controller again said 'fly heading runway; climb and maintain 3K.' established at 3000 ft; aircraft X contacted approach; 'level 3000 ft.' the area approach controller came back saying our assigned altitude was 2000 ft; and had aircraft X descend to 2000 ft with a turn back into the gca box. After reviewing the HUD tape; I confirmed what I heard in the air. Aircraft X was cleared to 3000 ft twice by the final controller. In hindsight; I believe the controller gave us 3000 ft thinking that we were another aircraft that was going to depart the gca box for the visual overhead. Aircraft X flew another ASR followed by vectors for the visual overhead runway 28 uneventfully.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MILITARY FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TWICE VERIFIED AN ASSIGNED ALTITUDE OF 3;000' WITH ATC BUT AFTER A GCA GO AROUND AND LEVEL OFF AT 3;000' WAS TOLD THE ASSIGNED ALTITUDE WAS 2;000'.

Narrative: ACFT X WAS ON AN INST TRAINING FLT IN THE LCL AREA OF MERIDIAN. ACFT X WAS ON BASE LEG FOR OUR SECOND OUT OF 3 ASR'S TO RWY X AT ZZZ; WHEN THE FINAL CTLR GAVE CLBOUT INSTRUCTION OF 'FLY RWY HDG; CLB AND MAINTAIN 3 (EMPHASIS ON 'TREE') THOUSAND.' IP READ BACK CLRNC WITH AN EMPHASIS ON 'TREE' BECAUSE NORMAL GCA TFC CLBS TO 2000 FT. ACFT X EXECUTED AN EARLY CLBOUT DUE TO LNDG TFC; AND THE FINAL CTLR AGAIN SAID 'FLY HDG RWY; CLB AND MAINTAIN 3K.' ESTABLISHED AT 3000 FT; ACFT X CONTACTED APCH; 'LEVEL 3000 FT.' THE AREA APCH CTLR CAME BACK SAYING OUR ASSIGNED ALT WAS 2000 FT; AND HAD ACFT X DSND TO 2000 FT WITH A TURN BACK INTO THE GCA BOX. AFTER REVIEWING THE HUD TAPE; I CONFIRMED WHAT I HEARD IN THE AIR. ACFT X WAS CLRED TO 3000 FT TWICE BY THE FINAL CTLR. IN HINDSIGHT; I BELIEVE THE CTLR GAVE US 3000 FT THINKING THAT WE WERE ANOTHER ACFT THAT WAS GOING TO DEPART THE GCA BOX FOR THE VISUAL OVERHEAD. ACFT X FLEW ANOTHER ASR FOLLOWED BY VECTORS FOR THE VISUAL OVERHEAD RWY 28 UNEVENTFULLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.

A military flight instructor twice verified an assigned altitude of 3;000' with ATC but after a gca go around and level off at 3;000' was told the assigned altitude was 2;000'.