F16 pilot mistakes expect altitude climb when clear of traffic as a climb clearance.

Attributes
ACN	451580
Time
Date	199910
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sby.vor
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighting Falcon F16
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 12
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 9000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was working a high altitude en route sector. The F16 (aircraft X) was at FL280 requesting FL390, but there was traffic -- 2 aircraft. He was on assigned vector for 1 aircraft. The other was an air carrier Y northbound at FL290, opposite direction, so I called traffic to the F16 and told him to expect higher when clear of that traffic. The pilot acknowledged the traffic call, said he had him in 'radar contact,' which is a typical response from fighter pilots as they have some form of onboard radar. Seconds later, I observed the F16 climbing, just as the air carrier passed overhead. I questioned him and he responded that he was climbing to FL290. I told him his assigned altitude was FL280, and to maintain that altitude. The air carrier was on another frequency and advised that controller he had an RA and was climbing. The F16 went back down and everything was ok. I have no idea why the F16 pilot climbed to FL290 since my communications were very clear and I never issued climb instructions above FL280.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: F16 PLT MISTAKES EXPECT ALT CLB WHEN CLR OF TFC AS A CLB CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING A HIGH ALT ENRTE SECTOR. THE F16 (ACFT X) WAS AT FL280 REQUESTING FL390, BUT THERE WAS TFC -- 2 ACFT. HE WAS ON ASSIGNED VECTOR FOR 1 ACFT. THE OTHER WAS AN ACR Y NBOUND AT FL290, OPPOSITE DIRECTION, SO I CALLED TFC TO THE F16 AND TOLD HIM TO EXPECT HIGHER WHEN CLR OF THAT TFC. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED THE TFC CALL, SAID HE HAD HIM IN 'RADAR CONTACT,' WHICH IS A TYPICAL RESPONSE FROM FIGHTER PLTS AS THEY HAVE SOME FORM OF ONBOARD RADAR. SECONDS LATER, I OBSERVED THE F16 CLBING, JUST AS THE ACR PASSED OVERHEAD. I QUESTIONED HIM AND HE RESPONDED THAT HE WAS CLBING TO FL290. I TOLD HIM HIS ASSIGNED ALT WAS FL280, AND TO MAINTAIN THAT ALT. THE ACR WAS ON ANOTHER FREQ AND ADVISED THAT CTLR HE HAD AN RA AND WAS CLBING. THE F16 WENT BACK DOWN AND EVERYTHING WAS OK. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THE F16 PLT CLBED TO FL290 SINCE MY COMS WERE VERY CLR AND I NEVER ISSUED CLB INSTRUCTIONS ABOVE FL280.

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.