Atx C414 pilot disputes msn TRACON controller's clearance when questioned about his altitude.

Attributes
ACN	460062
Time
Date	200001
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msn.airport
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msn.tracon tower : msn.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Chancellor 414A & C414
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : other published ifr departure
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	460062
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

VFR clearance was given as 'left on course, cleared for takeoff' from tower controller. Previously, clearance delivery had given me instructions to maintain at or below 2500 ft, so after takeoff I leveled at 2500 ft. Tower handed me over to departure and the departure controller said 'proceed on course and maintain VFR,' at which time I climbed to 3000 ft, which was my requested altitude. Upon reaching 3000 ft, the departure controller asked my altitude. After I said 'level at 3000 ft,' she said that I was not given clearance to another altitude. I responded, 'I thought your last transmission was proceed on course and maintain VFR.' she said, 'it was, but there was no mention of altitude.' now, this airport is my home base and common procedure here is to tell an aircraft to maintain an altitude if it's necessary. But when ATC clears a plane on course and says to maintain VFR, it is the pilot's discretion at that point to fly his own altitudes necessary to maintain VFR. The exception would be if the departure controller issues an instruction regarding altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX C414 PLT DISPUTES MSN TRACON CTLR'S CLRNC WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT HIS ALT.

Narrative: VFR CLRNC WAS GIVEN AS 'L ON COURSE, CLRED FOR TKOF' FROM TWR CTLR. PREVIOUSLY, CLRNC DELIVERY HAD GIVEN ME INSTRUCTIONS TO MAINTAIN AT OR BELOW 2500 FT, SO AFTER TKOF I LEVELED AT 2500 FT. TWR HANDED ME OVER TO DEP AND THE DEP CTLR SAID 'PROCEED ON COURSE AND MAINTAIN VFR,' AT WHICH TIME I CLBED TO 3000 FT, WHICH WAS MY REQUESTED ALT. UPON REACHING 3000 FT, THE DEP CTLR ASKED MY ALT. AFTER I SAID 'LEVEL AT 3000 FT,' SHE SAID THAT I WAS NOT GIVEN CLRNC TO ANOTHER ALT. I RESPONDED, 'I THOUGHT YOUR LAST XMISSION WAS PROCEED ON COURSE AND MAINTAIN VFR.' SHE SAID, 'IT WAS, BUT THERE WAS NO MENTION OF ALT.' NOW, THIS ARPT IS MY HOME BASE AND COMMON PROC HERE IS TO TELL AN ACFT TO MAINTAIN AN ALT IF IT'S NECESSARY. BUT WHEN ATC CLRS A PLANE ON COURSE AND SAYS TO MAINTAIN VFR, IT IS THE PLT'S DISCRETION AT THAT POINT TO FLY HIS OWN ALTS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN VFR. THE EXCEPTION WOULD BE IF THE DEP CTLR ISSUES AN INSTRUCTION REGARDING ALT.

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.