Narrative:

The situation involved myself (PF) and the training captain (PNF). The trip was from agc-oym-agc. Prior to beginning the trip I embarked the aircraft to copy the IFR clearance to oym. The clearance was cleared to oym, A3 departure, climb and maintain 5000 ft. Following a normal departure with a turn to the east, we were then instructed to contact pittsburgh approach. We announced with pit approach that we were leaving our current altitude for 5000 ft. Pittsburgh responded with the normal response: 'roger, radar contact.' we then continued our climb for 5000 ft. Approach called and questioned our altitude, which at this time was 4300 ft. Pit approach alerted us of traffic at 5000 ft and to commence an immediate descent to 3000 ft. The WX was IFR that evening, so all we were able to see was a glare from the airliner's lights at our 1 O'clock position. After descending to 3000 ft, we heard nothing else about the situation. 20 mi from oym, we were given a telephone number for pit approach and instructed to contact them on the ground. The training captain proceeded to contact them. Their response was that it was no fault of ours, but a mistake on the agc tower and the controller at pittsburgh approach. Upon arrival at agc, I felt that I should also contact pit approach. He again put all the blame on the controllers involved and indicated no blame on the pilots involved. He informed us that anytime the agc tower assigns us an altitude other than 3000 ft, we should question the clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIT CTLR ALERTS BE20 FLC OF POTENTIAL CONFLICT AND ISSUES IMMEDIATE DSCNT. A WRONG DEP ALT WAS ISSUED BY AGC LCL CTLR.

Narrative: THE SIT INVOLVED MYSELF (PF) AND THE TRAINING CAPT (PNF). THE TRIP WAS FROM AGC-OYM-AGC. PRIOR TO BEGINNING THE TRIP I EMBARKED THE ACFT TO COPY THE IFR CLRNC TO OYM. THE CLRNC WAS CLRED TO OYM, A3 DEP, CLB AND MAINTAIN 5000 FT. FOLLOWING A NORMAL DEP WITH A TURN TO THE E, WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT PITTSBURGH APCH. WE ANNOUNCED WITH PIT APCH THAT WE WERE LEAVING OUR CURRENT ALT FOR 5000 FT. PITTSBURGH RESPONDED WITH THE NORMAL RESPONSE: 'ROGER, RADAR CONTACT.' WE THEN CONTINUED OUR CLB FOR 5000 FT. APCH CALLED AND QUESTIONED OUR ALT, WHICH AT THIS TIME WAS 4300 FT. PIT APCH ALERTED US OF TFC AT 5000 FT AND TO COMMENCE AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO 3000 FT. THE WX WAS IFR THAT EVENING, SO ALL WE WERE ABLE TO SEE WAS A GLARE FROM THE AIRLINER'S LIGHTS AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS. AFTER DSNDING TO 3000 FT, WE HEARD NOTHING ELSE ABOUT THE SIT. 20 MI FROM OYM, WE WERE GIVEN A TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR PIT APCH AND INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT THEM ON THE GND. THE TRAINING CAPT PROCEEDED TO CONTACT THEM. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT IT WAS NO FAULT OF OURS, BUT A MISTAKE ON THE AGC TWR AND THE CTLR AT PITTSBURGH APCH. UPON ARR AT AGC, I FELT THAT I SHOULD ALSO CONTACT PIT APCH. HE AGAIN PUT ALL THE BLAME ON THE CTLRS INVOLVED AND INDICATED NO BLAME ON THE PLTS INVOLVED. HE INFORMED US THAT ANYTIME THE AGC TWR ASSIGNS US AN ALT OTHER THAN 3000 FT, WE SHOULD QUESTION THE CLRNC.

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.