Small transport climbed to an altitude occupied by another aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	119024
Time
Date	198908
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bfd
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4700 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other enroute airway : v72
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 191 flight time total : 1463 flight time type : 103
ASRS Report	119024
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

On the ground at bfd, I picked up my IFR clearance with bradford radio, the clearance I received read small transport X you are cleared to I12 victor 72 tdt direct rod direct, upon entering controled airspace contact cleveland center on 128.65 squawk XXXX clearance void if not off by XX10Z time now XX00Z. I read back the clearance word for word and was told small transport X readback correct, wind 180 at 5 altimeter 30.19'. I then taxied to and departed from runway 23 bfd, off the ground I contacted ZOB and said 'cleveland center small transport X off bradford out of 3 point 2', the reply was small transport X roger squawk XXXX, I replied XXXX small transport X and continued to climb to 8000'. As I was climbing I thought it somewhat strange that so far no mention of altitude was made by either bradford radio or ZOB, so I radioed ZOB and said something like ...cleveland center small transport X what altitude do you want me at. The reply was small transport X climb and maintain 4000'. I radioed back and said small transport X is already out of 4000' do you want me to go back down to 4000'. The reply was yes. So I descended back to 4000'. Upon reaching 4000' I was told small transport X traffic no longer a factor climb and maintain 8000'. Prior to that statement, no mention of any traffic had been made. As I was leveling off at 8000' a different voice from ZOB came on the radio stating, small transport X call cleveland center during regular business hours at (number), for possible altitude violation of 700'. I called ZOB and spoke with (name). He informed me that the flight strip showed my clearance said I was to climb to 4000', expect 8000' in 10 mins and that there was another airplane at 5000' and within 3 mi of me at time of the incident, and that the 'different voice' on the radio, that informed me of the 'possible altitude violation', was that of a center instructor. This entire incident occurred because I had not received an altitude in my clearance and the fact that I never questioned it until it was too late. I departed bfd on the assumption that because no mention of altitude was made in my clearance, that I was cleared to my flight planned altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT CLIMBED TO AN ALT OCCUPIED BY ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: ON THE GND AT BFD, I PICKED UP MY IFR CLRNC WITH BRADFORD RADIO, THE CLRNC I RECEIVED READ SMT X YOU ARE CLRED TO I12 VICTOR 72 TDT DIRECT ROD DIRECT, UPON ENTERING CTLED AIRSPACE CONTACT CLEVELAND CENTER ON 128.65 SQUAWK XXXX CLRNC VOID IF NOT OFF BY XX10Z TIME NOW XX00Z. I READ BACK THE CLRNC WORD FOR WORD AND WAS TOLD SMT X READBACK CORRECT, WIND 180 AT 5 ALTIMETER 30.19'. I THEN TAXIED TO AND DEPARTED FROM RWY 23 BFD, OFF THE GND I CONTACTED ZOB AND SAID 'CLEVELAND CENTER SMT X OFF BRADFORD OUT OF 3 POINT 2', THE REPLY WAS SMT X ROGER SQUAWK XXXX, I REPLIED XXXX SMT X AND CONTINUED TO CLIMB TO 8000'. AS I WAS CLIMBING I THOUGHT IT SOMEWHAT STRANGE THAT SO FAR NO MENTION OF ALT WAS MADE BY EITHER BRADFORD RADIO OR ZOB, SO I RADIOED ZOB AND SAID SOMETHING LIKE ...CLEVELAND CENTER SMT X WHAT ALT DO YOU WANT ME AT. THE REPLY WAS SMT X CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 4000'. I RADIOED BACK AND SAID SMT X IS ALREADY OUT OF 4000' DO YOU WANT ME TO GO BACK DOWN TO 4000'. THE REPLY WAS YES. SO I DESCENDED BACK TO 4000'. UPON REACHING 4000' I WAS TOLD SMT X TFC NO LONGER A FACTOR CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 8000'. PRIOR TO THAT STATEMENT, NO MENTION OF ANY TFC HAD BEEN MADE. AS I WAS LEVELING OFF AT 8000' A DIFFERENT VOICE FROM ZOB CAME ON THE RADIO STATING, SMT X CALL CLEVELAND CENTER DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS AT (NUMBER), FOR POSSIBLE ALT VIOLATION OF 700'. I CALLED ZOB AND SPOKE WITH (NAME). HE INFORMED ME THAT THE FLT STRIP SHOWED MY CLRNC SAID I WAS TO CLIMB TO 4000', EXPECT 8000' IN 10 MINS AND THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER AIRPLANE AT 5000' AND WITHIN 3 MI OF ME AT TIME OF THE INCIDENT, AND THAT THE 'DIFFERENT VOICE' ON THE RADIO, THAT INFORMED ME OF THE 'POSSIBLE ALT VIOLATION', WAS THAT OF A CENTER INSTRUCTOR. THIS ENTIRE INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE I HAD NOT RECEIVED AN ALT IN MY CLRNC AND THE FACT THAT I NEVER QUESTIONED IT UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. I DEPARTED BFD ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT BECAUSE NO MENTION OF ALT WAS MADE IN MY CLRNC, THAT I WAS CLRED TO MY FLT PLANNED ALT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.