Corp small transport has altitude deviation on department SID.

Attributes
ACN	294568
Time
Date	199501
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mmu
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 artcc : zma
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	294568
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

PF wrote clearance as follows -- cleared to destination airport via morristown 3 departure eliot intersection, etc -- written shorthand: M3 eliot -- during taxi out I asked PF what the morristown 3 initial altitude was and he consistently responded 3000 ft but he was reading the M3 as meaning maintain 3000 ft. The morristown 3 calls for 2000 ft initial altitude. During climb out we were handed off by morristown tower to ny departure control 119.2 and contact was made. As we passed 2000 ft, departure control told us to maintain 2000 ft. We were climbing to 3000 ft. We responded we were past 2 for 3 but we'll descend to 2000 ft. Departure control told us to continue climb to 8000 ft on 240 degree heading and that initial altitude on the SID is 2000 ft. Sure enough, he said there was no conflict but that in future we need to read the altitudes closely. Upon review, we no longer put M2 or M3 non ?3 for any SID but rather the pound sign followed by the number so it does not look like an altitude and both pilots must read and become familiar with the prescribed SID -- STAR -- approach plate, etc! We were fortunate no conflict occurred, and a lot wiser now.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP SMT HAS ALTDEV ON DEPT SID.

Narrative: PF WROTE CLRNC AS FOLLOWS -- CLRED TO DEST ARPT VIA MORRISTOWN 3 DEP ELIOT INTXN, ETC -- WRITTEN SHORTHAND: M3 ELIOT -- DURING TAXI OUT I ASKED PF WHAT THE MORRISTOWN 3 INITIAL ALT WAS AND HE CONSISTENTLY RESPONDED 3000 FT BUT HE WAS READING THE M3 AS MEANING MAINTAIN 3000 FT. THE MORRISTOWN 3 CALLS FOR 2000 FT INITIAL ALT. DURING CLBOUT WE WERE HANDED OFF BY MORRISTOWN TWR TO NY DEP CTL 119.2 AND CONTACT WAS MADE. AS WE PASSED 2000 FT, DEP CTL TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 2000 FT. WE WERE CLBING TO 3000 FT. WE RESPONDED WE WERE PAST 2 FOR 3 BUT WE'LL DSND TO 2000 FT. DEP CTL TOLD US TO CONTINUE CLB TO 8000 FT ON 240 DEG HDG AND THAT INITIAL ALT ON THE SID IS 2000 FT. SURE ENOUGH, HE SAID THERE WAS NO CONFLICT BUT THAT IN FUTURE WE NEED TO READ THE ALTS CLOSELY. UPON REVIEW, WE NO LONGER PUT M2 OR M3 NON ?3 FOR ANY SID BUT RATHER THE LB SIGN FOLLOWED BY THE NUMBER SO IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE AN ALT AND BOTH PLTS MUST READ AND BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE PRESCRIBED SID -- STAR -- APCH PLATE, ETC! WE WERE FORTUNATE NO CONFLICT OCCURRED, AND A LOT WISER NOW.

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.