An F16 pilot is chewed out by ATC after leaving his zoom altitude of FL330 for 15000 ft as the pilot had said he wanted in the ATC request and briefing west of mqp, tx.

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Attributes
ACN	474740
Time
Date	200006
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighting Falcon F16
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	474740
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Filed VFR flight plan with IFR pickup for short climbs between 15000 ft and FL230 for research flight testing. Used VR118 west of dfw. I explained to controller that I would be climbing on his assigned heading to FL230 and immediately descending back down below FL180 to VFR flight. This was also verbally briefed to ATC by sponsoring flight test organization. After I performed first zoom maneuver and descended below FL180, I informed ATC and requested a second heading to repeat maneuver. Controller angrily stated that when he cleared me to climb to FL230 he expected me to comply and to maintain FL230 until he cleared me down. I canceled the request for zoom climbs as this would not allow me to complete test mission, and remained VFR below FL180. A misunderstood request and a misunderstanding on my part as I anticipated clearance to perform test as requested.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN F16 PLT IS CHEWED OUT BY ATC AFTER LEAVING HIS ZOOM ALT OF FL330 FOR 15000 FT AS THE PLT HAD SAID HE WANTED IN THE ATC REQUEST AND BRIEFING W OF MQP, TX.

Narrative: FILED VFR FLT PLAN WITH IFR PICKUP FOR SHORT CLBS BTWN 15000 FT AND FL230 FOR RESEARCH FLT TESTING. USED VR118 W OF DFW. I EXPLAINED TO CTLR THAT I WOULD BE CLBING ON HIS ASSIGNED HDG TO FL230 AND IMMEDIATELY DSNDING BACK DOWN BELOW FL180 TO VFR FLT. THIS WAS ALSO VERBALLY BRIEFED TO ATC BY SPONSORING FLT TEST ORGANIZATION. AFTER I PERFORMED FIRST ZOOM MANEUVER AND DSNDED BELOW FL180, I INFORMED ATC AND REQUESTED A SECOND HDG TO REPEAT MANEUVER. CTLR ANGRILY STATED THAT WHEN HE CLRED ME TO CLB TO FL230 HE EXPECTED ME TO COMPLY AND TO MAINTAIN FL230 UNTIL HE CLRED ME DOWN. I CANCELED THE REQUEST FOR ZOOM CLBS AS THIS WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO COMPLETE TEST MISSION, AND REMAINED VFR BELOW FL180. A MISUNDERSTOOD REQUEST AND A MISUNDERSTANDING ON MY PART AS I ANTICIPATED CLRNC TO PERFORM TEST AS REQUESTED.

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.