Narrative:

On may/wed/95, I departed sbn alone at XA50Z in bonanza (be-AR36/right) on an IFR flight plan to msp. I had 2 occurrences near farmington VOR which caused a deviation from assigned altitude and heading. First, I deviated from an assigned altitude of 6000 ft and flew as high as 6450 ft for a period of less than 30 seconds. I had been having some trouble holding exact altitude due to moderate turbulence, and while reading a chart, received a call from ZMP reminding me that the local altimeter was, ie, 30.18. At that time I confirmed I had the correct altimeter setting and descended back to 6000 ft. To prevent this from happening again I believe I should request a different altitude to avoid moderate turbulence, or at the very least notify ATC of my situation with turbulence, also, I should be more vigilant in maintaining altitude. Second I deviated from course after misunderstanding an altitude restr clearance from ATC. I was approximately 30-40 NM southeast of the fgt VOR on V171 flying toward fgt when I received what I believe to be the following call from ATC: 'beech cross 25 mi south of farmington VOR at 4000 ft.' I read back the instructions and understood that I was to fly to a point 25 NM south (on a 180 degree radial ) of fgt and to have descended to 4000 ft by that point. I dialed in a RNAV waypoint 25 NM on the 180 degree radial from fgt, turned left to fly to that RNAV point and began to descend to 4000 ft. Within a very short time, ATC called back and said that I had not been given a different heading and asked why I was off course. I relayed my understanding of the previous instructions and was told to fly 360 degrees (to join back up with V171) and to telephone when I got to the ground. After landing at msp, I did call and talked to who instructed me that I had misunderstood the controller's instruction. We discussed the proper phraseology and the correct flight response to the altitude restr phraseology. In the future, I will be able to comply with altitude restr clrncs now that I understand ATC phraseology and the proper flight response.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT HAS A DIFFICULT TIME FLYING IN CLR AIR TURB AND UNDERSTANDING ATC CLRNC PHRASEOLOGY.

Narrative: ON MAY/WED/95, I DEPARTED SBN ALONE AT XA50Z IN BONANZA (BE-AR36/R) ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO MSP. I HAD 2 OCCURRENCES NEAR FARMINGTON VOR WHICH CAUSED A DEV FROM ASSIGNED ALT AND HDG. FIRST, I DEVIATED FROM AN ASSIGNED ALT OF 6000 FT AND FLEW AS HIGH AS 6450 FT FOR A PERIOD OF LESS THAN 30 SECONDS. I HAD BEEN HAVING SOME TROUBLE HOLDING EXACT ALT DUE TO MODERATE TURB, AND WHILE READING A CHART, RECEIVED A CALL FROM ZMP REMINDING ME THAT THE LCL ALTIMETER WAS, IE, 30.18. AT THAT TIME I CONFIRMED I HAD THE CORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING AND DSNDED BACK TO 6000 FT. TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN I BELIEVE I SHOULD REQUEST A DIFFERENT ALT TO AVOID MODERATE TURB, OR AT THE VERY LEAST NOTIFY ATC OF MY SIT WITH TURB, ALSO, I SHOULD BE MORE VIGILANT IN MAINTAINING ALT. SECOND I DEVIATED FROM COURSE AFTER MISUNDERSTANDING AN ALT RESTR CLRNC FROM ATC. I WAS APPROX 30-40 NM SE OF THE FGT VOR ON V171 FLYING TOWARD FGT WHEN I RECEIVED WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE THE FOLLOWING CALL FROM ATC: 'BEECH CROSS 25 MI S OF FARMINGTON VOR AT 4000 FT.' I READ BACK THE INSTRUCTIONS AND UNDERSTOOD THAT I WAS TO FLY TO A POINT 25 NM S (ON A 180 DEG RADIAL ) OF FGT AND TO HAVE DSNDED TO 4000 FT BY THAT POINT. I DIALED IN A RNAV WAYPOINT 25 NM ON THE 180 DEG RADIAL FROM FGT, TURNED L TO FLY TO THAT RNAV POINT AND BEGAN TO DSND TO 4000 FT. WITHIN A VERY SHORT TIME, ATC CALLED BACK AND SAID THAT I HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN A DIFFERENT HDG AND ASKED WHY I WAS OFF COURSE. I RELAYED MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS AND WAS TOLD TO FLY 360 DEGS (TO JOIN BACK UP WITH V171) AND TO TELEPHONE WHEN I GOT TO THE GND. AFTER LNDG AT MSP, I DID CALL AND TALKED TO WHO INSTRUCTED ME THAT I HAD MISUNDERSTOOD THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTION. WE DISCUSSED THE PROPER PHRASEOLOGY AND THE CORRECT FLT RESPONSE TO THE ALT RESTR PHRASEOLOGY. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH ALT RESTR CLRNCS NOW THAT I UNDERSTAND ATC PHRASEOLOGY AND THE PROPER FLT RESPONSE.

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.