Narrative:

VFR flight in falcon 10. Center failed to make handoff and pilot made direct contact with approach for handling and conclude the very flight by landing very. Bases of broken layer 3;300 to 4;300; tops 5;000 to 6;000 center controller was very slow to take positive control; controller communications were confusing and controller appeared well behind the actual altitude awareness; speed awareness and direction of aircraft. A controller fixed altitude command of 4;500 was given that would fly the aircraft into clouds. The aircraft was actually below that altitude and avoiding clouds. 4;500 feet would fly aircraft into clouds and possible into other traffic then pilot was advised by controller to be in close proximity to conflicting aircraft. Controller communication or absence thereof caused pilot to understand there was traffic at 1 mile and 4;000 ft.; 1 o'clock. Then there was further controller communication alarming pilot that he was to maintain at or above 4;000 ft. This caused concern since there was no visual contract with the 4;000 ft. Traffic believed likely in clouds.intending to climb above the clouds from an altitude of approximately 4;200 ft.; a second controller #2 then came over the radio with direction in an urgent tone sounding like..... 'Start your descent now' immediate action was taken to avoid traffic; clouds; terrain and attempt to follow these new directions from an intervening controller #2. Pilot immediately abandoned climb and rolled quickly left and immediately descended well below the believed 4;000 ft. Conflicting traffic to approximately 3000 ft. Controller #2 then again advised pilot to fly 3;500 (again this would be into clouds and again lagging behind where the aircraft actually already was) and maintain heading 330; but pilot responded he was maintaining 3;200 below cloud deck. Pilot should have been advised initially; and early and clearly the traffic was actually at 3000ft; which was important needed information not transmitted by either controller during any portion of all communications; until after landing. Avoidance would have been an immediate climb taking only seconds.pilot at all times maintained avoidance of clouds; other aircraft and terrain; visual contact was never lost and the conflicting aircraft was never seen. Pilots should have quickly understood the unusual situation and quickly and simply climbed above and around the clouds and await direction to eliminate the potential of conflicting traffic. That traffic was believed to be at 4;000ft but upon landing pilot learned that conflicting traffic was really at 3.000 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Falcon FA-10 pilot reported getting unclear communications from ATC. The flight was VFR and ATC kept directing them towards clouds. The pilot was unclear of the location of conflicting traffic.

Narrative: VFR flight in falcon 10. Center failed to make handoff and pilot made direct contact with approach for handling and conclude the very flight by landing very. Bases of broken layer 3;300 to 4;300; tops 5;000 to 6;000 Center controller was very slow to take positive control; controller communications were confusing and controller appeared well behind the actual altitude awareness; speed awareness and direction of aircraft. A controller fixed altitude command of 4;500 was given that would fly the aircraft into clouds. The aircraft was actually below that altitude and avoiding clouds. 4;500 feet would fly aircraft into clouds and possible into other traffic Then Pilot was advised by controller to be in close proximity to conflicting aircraft. Controller communication or absence thereof caused pilot to understand there was traffic at 1 mile and 4;000 ft.; 1 o'clock. Then there was further controller communication alarming pilot that he was to maintain AT or above 4;000 ft. This caused concern since there was no visual contract with the 4;000 ft. traffic believed likely in clouds.Intending to climb above the clouds from an altitude of approximately 4;200 ft.; a second controller #2 then came over the radio with direction in an urgent tone sounding like..... 'Start your descent now' Immediate action was taken to avoid traffic; clouds; terrain and attempt to follow these new directions from an intervening controller #2. Pilot immediately abandoned climb and rolled quickly left and immediately descended well below the believed 4;000 ft. conflicting traffic to approximately 3000 ft. Controller #2 then again advised pilot to fly 3;500 (again this would be into clouds and again lagging behind where the aircraft actually already was) and maintain heading 330; but pilot responded he was maintaining 3;200 below cloud deck. Pilot should have been advised initially; and early and clearly the traffic was actually at 3000ft; which was important needed information not transmitted by either controller during any portion of all communications; until after landing. Avoidance would have been an immediate climb taking only seconds.Pilot at all times maintained avoidance of clouds; other aircraft and terrain; visual contact was never lost and the conflicting aircraft was never seen. Pilots should have quickly understood the unusual situation and quickly and simply climbed above and around the clouds and await direction to eliminate the potential of conflicting traffic. That traffic was believed to be at 4;000ft but upon landing pilot learned that conflicting traffic was really at 3.000 ft.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.