Narrative:

I am the PIC of this C650 with a recent new hire sic (ATP typed rated C500). Approximately 1/2 hour prior to our scheduled departure, the sic got our clearance and 'set up' the cockpit to fly the westchester 9 departure off of runway 16. His 'set-up' included setting the altitude alerter to 300 ft, not 3000 ft as stated in the SID. After he briefed me on the clearance, we both reviewed the SID and I queried him on altitude he set 300 ft. He then rechked his written clearance and confirmed 3000 ft was our clearance. He further explained that the norm in a C500 was to set 300 ft, which means 3000 ft when set into the altitude alerter. With that resolved, I gave an IFR takeoff briefing to include a straight out climb to 800 ft then a right turn to 320 degrees and climb to 3000 ft not to exceed 190 KTS until out of 3000 ft. On departure, we checked in climbing to 3000 ft, to which departure told us to descend to 2000 ft immediately because of a traffic alert, which we did. ATC then asked us to confirm that we were cleared to maintain 2000 ft from clearance delivery, to which the sic emphatically denied and responded we were cleared to 3000 ft. The flight continued to palm beach without any further incident. However, during cruise flight, the sic again rechked his clearance notes and then confirmed to me that we were in fact cleared to maintain 2000 ft and not 3000 ft. Causes: 1) new and possibly nervous sic, only his third trip with company. 2) not following SOP and writing clearance on 'told' card for both crew members to review.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C650 CREW WERE ISSUED ATC CLRNC WHICH INCLUDED MAINTAIN 2000 FT. NEW FO SET ALERTER TO 3000 FT. AT 2200 FT IN CLB, CTLR INSTRUCTED FLT BACK TO 2000 FT.

Narrative: I AM THE PIC OF THIS C650 WITH A RECENT NEW HIRE SIC (ATP TYPED RATED C500). APPROX 1/2 HR PRIOR TO OUR SCHEDULED DEP, THE SIC GOT OUR CLRNC AND 'SET UP' THE COCKPIT TO FLY THE WESTCHESTER 9 DEP OFF OF RWY 16. HIS 'SET-UP' INCLUDED SETTING THE ALT ALERTER TO 300 FT, NOT 3000 FT AS STATED IN THE SID. AFTER HE BRIEFED ME ON THE CLRNC, WE BOTH REVIEWED THE SID AND I QUERIED HIM ON ALT HE SET 300 FT. HE THEN RECHKED HIS WRITTEN CLRNC AND CONFIRMED 3000 FT WAS OUR CLRNC. HE FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT THE NORM IN A C500 WAS TO SET 300 FT, WHICH MEANS 3000 FT WHEN SET INTO THE ALT ALERTER. WITH THAT RESOLVED, I GAVE AN IFR TKOF BRIEFING TO INCLUDE A STRAIGHT OUT CLB TO 800 FT THEN A R TURN TO 320 DEGS AND CLB TO 3000 FT NOT TO EXCEED 190 KTS UNTIL OUT OF 3000 FT. ON DEP, WE CHKED IN CLBING TO 3000 FT, TO WHICH DEP TOLD US TO DSND TO 2000 FT IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE OF A TFC ALERT, WHICH WE DID. ATC THEN ASKED US TO CONFIRM THAT WE WERE CLRED TO MAINTAIN 2000 FT FROM CLRNC DELIVERY, TO WHICH THE SIC EMPHATICALLY DENIED AND RESPONDED WE WERE CLRED TO 3000 FT. THE FLT CONTINUED TO PALM BEACH WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INCIDENT. HOWEVER, DURING CRUISE FLT, THE SIC AGAIN RECHKED HIS CLRNC NOTES AND THEN CONFIRMED TO ME THAT WE WERE IN FACT CLRED TO MAINTAIN 2000 FT AND NOT 3000 FT. CAUSES: 1) NEW AND POSSIBLY NERVOUS SIC, ONLY HIS THIRD TRIP WITH COMPANY. 2) NOT FOLLOWING SOP AND WRITING CLRNC ON 'TOLD' CARD FOR BOTH CREW MEMBERS TO REVIEW.

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.