CLE DEP CTLR FAILS TO HEAR READBACK FROM C550 PLT; CLBING TO 10000 FT; WHEN ONLY CLRED TO 7000 FT.

Narrative

IT STARTED OUT AS AN ORDINARY FLT. OBTAINED CLRNC; RECEIVED CLRNC FOR TAXI AND TKOF; HANDED OVER TO DEP (AN ENRTE CTR FACILITY); RADAR IDENTED; CLRED ON COURSE AND CLRED TO CLB TO 10000 FT. AS I'M CLBING THROUGH 7500 FT; THE CTLR ASKS ME TO VERIFY THAT I'M LEVELING AT 7000 FT. I RESPOND NEGATIVE; I'VE GOT CLRNC TO 10000 FT! HOWEVER; I IMMEDIATELY THROTTLED BACK AND STOPPED THE CLB. I GLANCED AT THE ALT PRE-SELECT; AND IT WAS SET AT 10000 FT. THERE WAS A LONG MOMENT OF SILENCE; AFTER WHICH I ANNOUNCED MY INTENTION TO DSND BACK DOWN TO 7000 FT. ANOTHER CTLR THEN CAME ON FREQ AND TOLD ME TO MAINTAIN PRESENT ALT. AFTER A SHORT WHILE; I WAS CLRED ON UP TO 8000 FT; AND EVENTUALLY ON UP TO CRUISE ALT. AND I ALSO GOT A TELEPHONE NUMBER I WAS ASKED TO CALL WHEN I REACHED MY DEST. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT SOME SORT OF MISCOM HAD OCCURRED. I SPOKE WITH A SUPVR AT THE CTR FACILITY. HE HAD REVIEWED THE TAPE OF THE SIT; AND INFORMED ME THAT THE CTLR ISSUED CLRNC TO 7000 FT. HE ALSO STATED THAT I READ BACK 10000 FT. HE SAID THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO CLASSIFY THE SIT AS 'OPERROR;' BUT THAT THERE WERE 2 THINGS THAT REALLY BOTHERED HIM. FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE; HE FELT THE CLRNC TO 7000 FT WAS VERY CLR; AND WONDERED HOW I COULD HAVE HEARD IT AS 10000 FT. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE; I HAD NO DOUBT THE CLRNC WAS TO 10000 FT. THIS WAS A SIT WHERE BOTH CTLR AND PLT HEARD WHAT WE THOUGHT WE HEARD. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 535575: DEP FROM JST SBOUND CLRED TO 7000 FT DUE TO ENRTE TFC AT 8000 FT. THE DEPARTING TFC (C550) READ BACK 'TEN' WHICH WAS MISSED. THE CLRNC TO 7000 FT WAS PLAIN AND CLR USING PROPER PHRASEOLOGY. THE READBACK WAS SLIGHTLY RUSHED USING IMPROPER PHRASEOLOGY.