Narrative:

CFI practical examination. The pilot received clearance from ATC to depart runway 5. During the climb, the controller issued instructions for the pilot to turn right heading 100 degrees and climb to 2500 ft. The pilot turned to a 100 degree heading and continued to climb to 2500 ft. Before reaching the assigned altitude, the pilot was issued further instructions by the departure controller. The pilot repeated the instructions and initiated a right turn en route to the practice area located approximately 10 NM to the southwest. Since the controller failed to correct the pilot's readback of the instructions, the pilot assumed that the readback had been correct. However, the FAA examiner requested a repeat of the instructions from the controller. Due to preoccupation with the climb phase of the flight, the pilot failed to hear the second issuance of the instructions. The examiner proceeded to grab the controls from the pilot and turned the aircraft back to the original 100 degree heading. The examiner requested a return back to the airport for landing. After the controller confirmed the examiner's request, control of the aircraft was relinquished back to the pilot. The pilot was given clearance to land on runway 5. The flight ended approximately around XA00 local time. After the examiner issued a notice of disapproval and the test was concluded, the pilot contacted the supervisor of the controling facility. Request was made to confirm the misinterp of the controller's instructions. The supervisor listened to the recording of the preceding events and confirmed that the pilot had misinterpreted the controller's instructions. The supervisor stated that the responsible controller had realized the pilot had misinterpreted the issued instructions. Some of the factors leading to these events may possibly include the high levels of stress imposed upon the CFI applicant during the practical examination. The stress levels are compounded by the heavy workload during the initial climb phase. It is difficult for a single pilot to hear, interpret, and read back the instructions issued by ATC during such phases of flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR APPLICANT DURING THE PRACTICAL TEST IN A CESSNA 172RG MISINTERPRETED AMENDED DEP CLRNC RESULTING IN TURNING TO THE WRONG HEADING AND FAILING THE CFI PRACTICAL TEST.

Narrative: CFI PRACTICAL EXAMINATION. THE PLT RECEIVED CLRNC FROM ATC TO DEPART RWY 5. DURING THE CLB, THE CTLR ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PLT TO TURN R HEADING 100 DEGS AND CLB TO 2500 FT. THE PLT TURNED TO A 100 DEG HDG AND CONTINUED TO CLB TO 2500 FT. BEFORE REACHING THE ASSIGNED ALT, THE PLT WAS ISSUED FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS BY THE DEP CTLR. THE PLT REPEATED THE INSTRUCTIONS AND INITIATED A R TURN ENRTE TO THE PRACTICE AREA LOCATED APPROX 10 NM TO THE SW. SINCE THE CTLR FAILED TO CORRECT THE PLT'S READBACK OF THE INSTRUCTIONS, THE PLT ASSUMED THAT THE READBACK HAD BEEN CORRECT. HOWEVER, THE FAA EXAMINER REQUESTED A REPEAT OF THE INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE CTLR. DUE TO PREOCCUPATION WITH THE CLB PHASE OF THE FLT, THE PLT FAILED TO HEAR THE SECOND ISSUANCE OF THE INSTRUCTIONS. THE EXAMINER PROCEEDED TO GRAB THE CTLS FROM THE PLT AND TURNED THE ACFT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL 100 DEG HDG. THE EXAMINER REQUESTED A RETURN BACK TO THE ARPT FOR LNDG. AFTER THE CTLR CONFIRMED THE EXAMINER'S REQUEST, CTL OF THE ACFT WAS RELINQUISHED BACK TO THE PLT. THE PLT WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 5. THE FLT ENDED APPROX AROUND XA00 LCL TIME. AFTER THE EXAMINER ISSUED A NOTICE OF DISAPPROVAL AND THE TEST WAS CONCLUDED, THE PLT CONTACTED THE SUPVR OF THE CTLING FACILITY. REQUEST WAS MADE TO CONFIRM THE MISINTERP OF THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS. THE SUPVR LISTENED TO THE RECORDING OF THE PRECEDING EVENTS AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PLT HAD MISINTERPRETED THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS. THE SUPVR STATED THAT THE RESPONSIBLE CTLR HAD REALIZED THE PLT HAD MISINTERPRETED THE ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS. SOME OF THE FACTORS LEADING TO THESE EVENTS MAY POSSIBLY INCLUDE THE HIGH LEVELS OF STRESS IMPOSED UPON THE CFI APPLICANT DURING THE PRACTICAL EXAMINATION. THE STRESS LEVELS ARE COMPOUNDED BY THE HVY WORKLOAD DURING THE INITIAL CLB PHASE. IT IS DIFFICULT FOR A SINGLE PLT TO HEAR, INTERPRET, AND READ BACK THE INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED BY ATC DURING SUCH PHASES OF FLT.

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.