Summary
The aircraft was issued with a take-off clearance, with a requirement to maintain 3000 feet. On departure, the pilot reported on climb to 3000 feet. The aircraft was then observed on radar to be approaching 3800 feet. When queried, the pilot confirmed his altitude was 3800 feet. The aircraft was then cleared to maintain 4000 feet to ensure separation with crossing traffic arriving at Sydney. The pilot later stated that he understood his initial clearance limit to be 4000 feet.
Occurrence summary
| Investigation number | 199300313 |
|---|---|
| Occurrence date | 26/02/1993 |
| Location | 25 km north of Sydney |
| State | New South Wales |
| Report release date | 29/07/1993 |
| Report status | Final |
| Investigation type | Occurrence Investigation |
| Investigation status | Completed |
| Mode of transport | Aviation |
| Aviation occurrence category | Operational non-compliance |
| Occurrence class | Incident |
Aircraft details
| Manufacturer | Piper Aircraft Corp |
|---|---|
| Model | PA-31-350 |
| Registration | VH-WAD |
| Sector | Piston |
| Operation type | Air Transport Low Capacity |
| Departure point | Sydney NSW |
| Destination | Maitland NSW |
| Damage | Nil |