Date: 201506
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Weather elements / visibility: 10
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: PA-23-250 Aztec
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: VFR
Mission: Training
Flight phase: Climb
Airspace: Class E ZZZ
ATC / advisory: TRACON ZZZ
Second aircraft: Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Reporter organization: Personal
Reporter function: Trainee; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Multiengine
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Confusion
Second reporter function: Instructor; Check Pilot
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Contributing factors: Procedure
Primary problem: Procedure

Narrative: I went to take a multiengine checkride. After a thorough oral; my Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) decided we would go fly. Upon contacting ground; we were told to contact clearance delivery. I contacted clearance delivery to get clearance out of the Class C airspace; telling them we wanted to be a north bound departure to do some maneuvers. After talking to ground to get a taxi to the active; we contacted tower to takeoff. We were cleared to climb out at 3;000 to the North. Upon reaching 3;000; we asked to climb to 4;500 where we would proceed to do our maneuvers. Here is where the confusion began. My DPE and I thought we were a VFR aircraft; while apparently; the Tower had filed and put us on an IFR flight plan. Once we were clear of the outer ring; we began a steep turn to the left. About a quarter of the way through; ATC called us and told us to fly a northerly heading. After turning to that heading; ATC asked us why we had deviated from our original heading; then proceeded to give us a possible pilot deviation. Later in the flight; again still thinking we were a VFR aircraft; we descended out of 4;500 to 4;000 to set up for some ILS approaches. Upon landing; we called the number we were given. He asked if I understood what we did wrong; which I said I sort of did. He explained what we did; and upon talking to him; we realized that the Tower had put us on an IFR flight plan; which we hadn't asked for. For this flight; I was a multiengine student pilot on a checkride. After reaching the outer ring of that airport's Class C; my examiner told me to begin my steep turns. I complied and began doing them as he asked. Also; had we been told we were on an IFR flight plan; we would have never deviated from our heading. This whole incident was a just a big miscommunication as I previously stated. We thought we were a VFR aircraft receiving a clearance out of the Class C; not an IFR aircraft receiving an IFR flight plan out of the Class C.I was told by approach that when we turned for our steep turn that put us close to another aircraft. We were never given a traffic advisory by ATC for the aircraft passing off to our left. Had we have known that traffic was going to pass us; we would have never initiated the turn. Also; if a small turn put two aircraft in proximity that makes it seem like tower/approach are releasing aircraft awfully close to each other.Overall; this whole incident was just a big miscommunication between us; tower; and approach. Neither my DPE nor I meant for what happened today to happen.


Second narrative: Departing and requested clearance to the North/Northwest for air work (which was for a Commercial Multiengine Land checkride); followed by 2 ILS approaches. When we were 11 miles from the airport (outside the Class C airspace); we initiated to begin our air work which started with a steep 360 degree turn to the left. Approach asked what we were doing; and then said that was a 'pilot deviation'; he did not clear us for air work. We were requested to phone ATC after out flight which the applicant did; who was the PIC on the flight. He was asked for his address & phone number and told he would be hearing from the local FAA office.2 Important things:1. We DID NOT request an IFR clearance from Clearance delivery.2. We were outside the Class C airspace according to the Garmin 530 GPS.


Synopsis: A pilot and his examiner took off with a clearance out of Class C and began Commercial licensing maneuvers. Unknown to the pilots; ATC had filed an IFR flight plan and threatened a track deviation violation.