Narrative:

Departure push was underway along with arrivals starting to enter the airspace. Aircraft X departed the jqf satellite airport. I issued climb and vector instructions keeping aircraft X below crossing departure aircraft. I eventually instruct aircraft X to climb and maintain one two thousand. Meanwhile departure coordinator apreqed direct sav to avoid having to vector aircraft X in trail behind other clt departures over the columbia (cae) transition. Center wanted in-trail spacing unable direct sav. Conflicting arrival traffic was inbound to the airport from ctf; I also helped/approved/coordinated a satellite arrival aircraft that was being worked by the east arrival. I was issuing vectors to aircraft X to put the aircraft in a position that would help achieve in-trial spacing should the center deny direct sav. I issued aircraft X instructions to 'fly heading two zero zero' the pilot read back 'aircraft X two zero zero'. Once aircraft X climbs above the arrival airspace (12;000) I turned the aircraft to a 270 degree heading. I planned to put it between two clt departures. Shortly thereafter I noticed aircraft X at 15;000 ft. I told the aircraft his assigned altitude was 14;000 and to maintain 14;000. My airspace limit is 14;000. The pilot said he was given 20;000 ft and read that back. I told him I never assigned him flight level two zero zero. The pilot read back my heading and somehow assumed that was his assigned altitude.pilots leave out so much when they read back instructions or answer questions. For example; when working final you show the pilot the airport. The reply is 'in sight' no call sign is used. The aircraft is approaching the localizer and if you ask a question like verify that 'aircraft call sign has the airport in sight' and wait for a reply then the aircraft may blow through the final causing a confliction with parallel traffic. In this pilot deviation the pilot should have said heading or altitude. I would not expect a professional pilot to be told 'fly heading two zero zero' and attempt to climb to that altitude. It is so difficult to nit pic everything that pilots say due to complexity and volume along with not wanting to create and adverse atmosphere. By that I mean pilots think you are being harsh and mean to them. Even when you really have to go back and make pilots repeat things correctly they sometimes act like you are doing this to be a jerk. Placing more emphasis on correct read back and phraseology to the flying community (pilots) would help.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Lear 31 pilot misunderstands a Controllers instruction to fly heading 200 as a clearance to climb to FL200 and the Controller involved describes the event from his side of the scope.

Narrative: Departure push was underway along with arrivals starting to enter the airspace. Aircraft X departed the JQF satellite airport. I issued climb and vector instructions keeping Aircraft X below crossing departure aircraft. I eventually instruct Aircraft X to climb and maintain one two thousand. Meanwhile Departure Coordinator apreqed direct SAV to avoid having to vector Aircraft X in trail behind other CLT departures over the Columbia (CAE) transition. Center wanted in-trail spacing unable direct SAV. Conflicting arrival traffic was inbound to the airport from CTF; I also helped/approved/coordinated a satellite arrival aircraft that was being worked by the East Arrival. I was issuing vectors to Aircraft X to put the aircraft in a position that would help achieve in-trial spacing should the center deny direct SAV. I issued Aircraft X instructions to 'FLY HEADING TWO ZERO ZERO' the pilot read back 'Aircraft X TWO ZERO ZERO'. Once Aircraft X climbs above the arrival airspace (12;000) I turned the aircraft to a 270 degree heading. I planned to put it between two CLT departures. Shortly thereafter I noticed Aircraft X at 15;000 FT. I told the aircraft his assigned altitude was 14;000 and to maintain 14;000. My airspace limit is 14;000. The pilot said he was given 20;000 FT and read that back. I told him I never assigned him flight level two zero zero. The pilot read back my heading and somehow assumed that was his assigned altitude.Pilots leave out so much when they read back instructions or answer questions. For example; when working final you show the pilot the airport. The reply is 'in sight' no call sign is used. The aircraft is approaching the localizer and if you ask a question like verify that 'Aircraft call sign has the airport in sight' and wait for a reply then the aircraft may blow through the final causing a confliction with parallel traffic. In this pilot deviation the pilot should have said heading or altitude. I would not expect a professional pilot to be told 'fly heading two zero zero' and attempt to climb to that altitude. It is so difficult to nit pic everything that pilots say due to complexity and volume along with not wanting to create and adverse atmosphere. By that I mean pilots think you are being harsh and mean to them. Even when you really have to go back and make pilots repeat things correctly they sometimes act like you are doing this to be a jerk. Placing more emphasis on correct read back and phraseology to the flying community (pilots) would help.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.