Narrative:

Military aircraft was in the radar approach pattern at off AFB. The aircraft departed on IFR flight plan after last approach. The controller issued instruction to climb to 17000 ft and pilot read back 17000 ft. The controller thought he issued 10000 ft instead of 17000 ft and did not catch the error during pilot readback. The radar ARTS tag did not automatic acquire, so the controller had to manually start the tag, and then initiated automated handoff to center. Approach airspace is 10000 ft and below. The controller observed the aircraft at 10700 ft and climbing, and issued maintain 10000 ft. The aircraft continued to 10800 ft, then descended to 10000 ft. Center accepted the handoff approximately 10 mi later.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR ISSUED WRONG ALT TO MIL ACFT UNCOORD UNAUTHORIZED PENETRATION OF CTR AIRSPACE. OPDEV.

Narrative: MIL ACFT WAS IN THE RADAR APCH PATTERN AT OFF AFB. THE ACFT DEPARTED ON IFR FLT PLAN AFTER LAST APCH. THE CTLR ISSUED INSTRUCTION TO CLB TO 17000 FT AND PLT READ BACK 17000 FT. THE CTLR THOUGHT HE ISSUED 10000 FT INSTEAD OF 17000 FT AND DID NOT CATCH THE ERROR DURING PLT READBACK. THE RADAR ARTS TAG DID NOT AUTO ACQUIRE, SO THE CTLR HAD TO MANUALLY START THE TAG, AND THEN INITIATED AUTOMATED HDOF TO CTR. APCH AIRSPACE IS 10000 FT AND BELOW. THE CTLR OBSERVED THE ACFT AT 10700 FT AND CLBING, AND ISSUED MAINTAIN 10000 FT. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO 10800 FT, THEN DSNDED TO 10000 FT. CTR ACCEPTED THE HDOF APPROX 10 MI LATER.

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.