Military aircraft deviated from perceived clearance issued by FSS.

Attributes
ACN	120252
Time
Date	198908
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oth
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Experience	controller military : 2 controller non radar : 6 flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 680
ASRS Report	120252
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was working the in-flight position at oth when mlt X taxied out and requested multiple apches to oth in IFR conditions. The field was MVFR at the time. We had an small aircraft on approach so mlt X departed VFR for touch and goes at oth. By the time the small aircraft landed and cancelled IFR, mlt X had departed the pattern to the north. I assumed just north and was wrong, he was 13 mi north along the coast. The clearance from seattle center read from oth airport to the oth VORTAC at or above 3000'. When I relayed the clearance I still didn't think he was so far north. However, when I told ZSE that he was north proceeding to the VOR, the center withdrew the clearance. The aircraft was already off my frequency for center's. The clearance was from oth airport not 13 north of oth, it just happens that there isn't any terrain at 3000'. I was lucky and so was mlt X although he came back along the beach to insure terrain separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL ACFT DEVIATED FROM PERCEIVED CLRNC ISSUED BY FSS.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE INFLT POSITION AT OTH WHEN MLT X TAXIED OUT AND REQUESTED MULTIPLE APCHES TO OTH IN IFR CONDITIONS. THE FIELD WAS MVFR AT THE TIME. WE HAD AN SMA ON APCH SO MLT X DEPARTED VFR FOR TOUCH AND GOES AT OTH. BY THE TIME THE SMA LANDED AND CANCELLED IFR, MLT X HAD DEPARTED THE PATTERN TO THE NORTH. I ASSUMED JUST NORTH AND WAS WRONG, HE WAS 13 MI NORTH ALONG THE COAST. THE CLRNC FROM SEATTLE CENTER READ FROM OTH ARPT TO THE OTH VORTAC AT OR ABOVE 3000'. WHEN I RELAYED THE CLRNC I STILL DIDN'T THINK HE WAS SO FAR NORTH. HOWEVER, WHEN I TOLD ZSE THAT HE WAS NORTH PROCEEDING TO THE VOR, THE CENTER WITHDREW THE CLRNC. THE ACFT WAS ALREADY OFF MY FREQ FOR CENTER'S. THE CLRNC WAS FROM OTH ARPT NOT 13 NORTH OF OTH, IT JUST HAPPENS THAT THERE ISN'T ANY TERRAIN AT 3000'. I WAS LUCKY AND SO WAS MLT X ALTHOUGH HE CAME BACK ALONG THE BEACH TO INSURE TERRAIN SEPARATION.

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.