Narrative:

I was leading a flight of 3 fgts into martin state airport. We were VFR and the WX was deteriorating rapidly at the airport. On downwind it was evident that we were unable to remain VFR and land. I executed a turn toward the runway and informed tower that I would have to go back to baltimore approach, pick up an IFR clearance for an instrument approach to runway 14. Tower instructed me to turn right to 290 degree, climb to 2000' and contact baltimore approach on 228.4. As I started the climbing turn we immediately penetrated WX. I called baltimore approach and checked in telling them I was turning to 290 degree and level 2000'. Baltimore told me I was supposed to be at 3000', that I had traffic at 12 O'clock 2 mi at 2000'. I called departing 2000' for 3000'. One of my wingmen saw an small aircraft pass below us fairly close, within 500'. I was very busy and concerned about my wingmen and the WX. Somehow I ended up at the wrong altitude, either by not fully understanding the clearance or receiving a wrong altitude for martin tower. All this happened very rapidly in marginal WX conditions. We eventually got vectors and a flight split for ILS apches to runway 32.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL PLT, LEADING A FLT OF 3 ACFT, GETS INVOLVED WITH IMC CONDITIONS ON A VFR FLT AND GETS HANDED OFF TO TRACON CTLR FOR IFR CLRNC AT WRONG ALT. NMAC WITH AN SMA AT ORIGINAL ALT.

Narrative: I WAS LEADING A FLT OF 3 FGTS INTO MARTIN STATE ARPT. WE WERE VFR AND THE WX WAS DETERIORATING RAPIDLY AT THE ARPT. ON DOWNWIND IT WAS EVIDENT THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO REMAIN VFR AND LAND. I EXECUTED A TURN TOWARD THE RWY AND INFORMED TWR THAT I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO BALTIMORE APCH, PICK UP AN IFR CLRNC FOR AN INSTRUMENT APCH TO RWY 14. TWR INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN RIGHT TO 290 DEG, CLIMB TO 2000' AND CONTACT BALTIMORE APCH ON 228.4. AS I STARTED THE CLIMBING TURN WE IMMEDIATELY PENETRATED WX. I CALLED BALTIMORE APCH AND CHECKED IN TELLING THEM I WAS TURNING TO 290 DEG AND LEVEL 2000'. BALTIMORE TOLD ME I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT 3000', THAT I HAD TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK 2 MI AT 2000'. I CALLED DEPARTING 2000' FOR 3000'. ONE OF MY WINGMEN SAW AN SMA PASS BELOW US FAIRLY CLOSE, WITHIN 500'. I WAS VERY BUSY AND CONCERNED ABOUT MY WINGMEN AND THE WX. SOMEHOW I ENDED UP AT THE WRONG ALT, EITHER BY NOT FULLY UNDERSTANDING THE CLRNC OR RECEIVING A WRONG ALT FOR MARTIN TWR. ALL THIS HAPPENED VERY RAPIDLY IN MARGINAL WX CONDITIONS. WE EVENTUALLY GOT VECTORS AND A FLT SPLIT FOR ILS APCHES TO RWY 32.

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.