Narrative:

Climbing VFR after takeoff, I called ft myers approach 119.75 for advisories to lakeland, fl. We had an IFR on file, but did not plan to use it since it was good VFR and the distance between the airports is short (approximately 100 NM). Departure had the IFR clearance for us (although it was not requested). The controller read us the clearance and told us to climb to 10000. I checked with the captain (PF), and he said 'ok, as long as we can continue, we'll take the clearance'. About a minute later, approach gave us an assigned heading and an altitude change. 'Turn right heading 030, climb to 12 thousand'. I read back the clearance and dialed in the new altitude on the altitude alerter. The PF said aloud 'heading 030, 12 thousand' as required by our SOP. Going through 10500, controller said we were only cleared to 10000 and to descend back to 10000 which we did. I don't think the controller was paying attention to: 1) what he said and 2) what I read back. By the tone of the guy's voice, he sounded like he was angry that he had to work on a nice friday afternoon. Inbound to the marco island airport, we'd listened to the same guy chewing out some poor light airplane pilot for some minor radio phraseology infraction. He did not have a 'professional attitude'.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AMBIGUOUS COM EXCHANGE AND HEARBACK PROBLEM CREATES AN ALT DEVIATION AND AN OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: CLIMBING VFR AFTER TKOF, I CALLED FT MYERS APCH 119.75 FOR ADVISORIES TO LAKELAND, FL. WE HAD AN IFR ON FILE, BUT DID NOT PLAN TO USE IT SINCE IT WAS GOOD VFR AND THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE ARPTS IS SHORT (APPROX 100 NM). DEP HAD THE IFR CLRNC FOR US (ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT REQUESTED). THE CTLR READ US THE CLRNC AND TOLD US TO CLIMB TO 10000. I CHECKED WITH THE CAPT (PF), AND HE SAID 'OK, AS LONG AS WE CAN CONTINUE, WE'LL TAKE THE CLRNC'. ABOUT A MINUTE LATER, APCH GAVE US AN ASSIGNED HDG AND AN ALT CHANGE. 'TURN RIGHT HDG 030, CLIMB TO 12 THOUSAND'. I READ BACK THE CLRNC AND DIALED IN THE NEW ALT ON THE ALT ALERTER. THE PF SAID ALOUD 'HDG 030, 12 THOUSAND' AS REQUIRED BY OUR SOP. GOING THROUGH 10500, CTLR SAID WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO 10000 AND TO DSND BACK TO 10000 WHICH WE DID. I DON'T THINK THE CTLR WAS PAYING ATTN TO: 1) WHAT HE SAID AND 2) WHAT I READ BACK. BY THE TONE OF THE GUY'S VOICE, HE SOUNDED LIKE HE WAS ANGRY THAT HE HAD TO WORK ON A NICE FRIDAY AFTERNOON. INBND TO THE MARCO ISLAND ARPT, WE'D LISTENED TO THE SAME GUY CHEWING OUT SOME POOR LIGHT AIRPLANE PLT FOR SOME MINOR RADIO PHRASEOLOGY INFRACTION. HE DID NOT HAVE A 'PROFESSIONAL ATTITUDE'.

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.