Narrative:

Flying club training flight, C23 sundowner a. A tower-to-tower IFR clearance was requested for flight to ict VOR, hold at 4000 ft, then a VOR 14 approach followed by a VOR B back to beech. Clearance was clear direct bec by radar vectors, climb to 3000 ft, expect 4000 ft in 10 mins, squawk XXXX, departure frequency 134.8. On release, maintain runway heading (180 degrees), departure frequency to 134.8. Departure cleared us to 4000 ft, right turn to heading 290 degrees direct to VOR. Departure said change frequency to 126.7. Departure asked if we could hold at 5000 ft. We accepted the change to 5000 ft. We reached 5000 ft just before entering the holding pattern over the VOR (ict). We notified ATC on entering the holding pattern. While in the holding pattern, ATC cleared another aircraft down to 5000 ft. I started looking for that traffic, never saw him. He responded to approach that he had us in sight. ATC asked us if we were at 4000 ft. We responded, 'negative, 5000 ft.' ATC said they were not receiving mode C, but it started working. Never thought anything more about it. Rest of flight per flight plan. On landing, beech tower had me call FAA. I was asked if I was pilot of sundowner, and my name and phone number. He asked if I was assigned altitude 4000 ft or 5000 ft. I told him we were assigned 5000 ft, and he could verify that by the communication tapes. Radar showed that we passed about 2 mi from each other. A second call from FAA was received. Questions were asked to help correct ATC in-house controller problems. The questions were like climb time to 5000 ft, were we at 5000 ft reaching the VOR? The answer was yes. I only discussed communications that were on the tapes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH RADAR CTLR CLRED A CITATION JET DOWN TO AN ALT OVER A VOR AT WHICH ANOTHER CTLR HAD PREVIOUSLY CLRED A BEECH SUNDOWNER INTO A HOLDING PATTERN. THE CITATION SIGHTED THE SUNDOWNER, BUT THE RPTING INSTRUCTOR IN THE SUNDOWNER ONLY HEARD THE CITATION BEING CLRED TO HIS SAME ALT AND BEGAN LOOKING FOR IT.

Narrative: FLYING CLUB TRAINING FLT, C23 SUNDOWNER A. A TWR-TO-TWR IFR CLRNC WAS REQUESTED FOR FLT TO ICT VOR, HOLD AT 4000 FT, THEN A VOR 14 APCH FOLLOWED BY A VOR B BACK TO BEECH. CLRNC WAS CLR DIRECT BEC BY RADAR VECTORS, CLB TO 3000 FT, EXPECT 4000 FT IN 10 MINS, SQUAWK XXXX, DEP FREQ 134.8. ON RELEASE, MAINTAIN RWY HDG (180 DEGS), DEP FREQ TO 134.8. DEP CLRED US TO 4000 FT, R TURN TO HDG 290 DEGS DIRECT TO VOR. DEP SAID CHANGE FREQ TO 126.7. DEP ASKED IF WE COULD HOLD AT 5000 FT. WE ACCEPTED THE CHANGE TO 5000 FT. WE REACHED 5000 FT JUST BEFORE ENTERING THE HOLDING PATTERN OVER THE VOR (ICT). WE NOTIFIED ATC ON ENTERING THE HOLDING PATTERN. WHILE IN THE HOLDING PATTERN, ATC CLRED ANOTHER ACFT DOWN TO 5000 FT. I STARTED LOOKING FOR THAT TFC, NEVER SAW HIM. HE RESPONDED TO APCH THAT HE HAD US IN SIGHT. ATC ASKED US IF WE WERE AT 4000 FT. WE RESPONDED, 'NEGATIVE, 5000 FT.' ATC SAID THEY WERE NOT RECEIVING MODE C, BUT IT STARTED WORKING. NEVER THOUGHT ANYTHING MORE ABOUT IT. REST OF FLT PER FLT PLAN. ON LNDG, BEECH TWR HAD ME CALL FAA. I WAS ASKED IF I WAS PLT OF SUNDOWNER, AND MY NAME AND PHONE NUMBER. HE ASKED IF I WAS ASSIGNED ALT 4000 FT OR 5000 FT. I TOLD HIM WE WERE ASSIGNED 5000 FT, AND HE COULD VERIFY THAT BY THE COM TAPES. RADAR SHOWED THAT WE PASSED ABOUT 2 MI FROM EACH OTHER. A SECOND CALL FROM FAA WAS RECEIVED. QUESTIONS WERE ASKED TO HELP CORRECT ATC IN-HOUSE CTLR PROBS. THE QUESTIONS WERE LIKE CLB TIME TO 5000 FT, WERE WE AT 5000 FT REACHING THE VOR? THE ANSWER WAS YES. I ONLY DISCUSSED COMS THAT WERE ON THE TAPES.

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.