Corporate pilot misunderstands clearance and climbs through cleared altitude on departure.

Attributes
ACN	447670
Time
Date	199908
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Route In Use	departure sid : loupe
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 96 flight time total : 4247 flight time type : 452
ASRS Report	447670
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

As we departed sjc airport we were given several turns and altitudes to maintain. We were then given a clearance to cross sjc at 12000 ft, climb and maintain FL230. I misunderstood clearance as did my copilot. We thought it was to cross sjc at or above 12000 ft, climb to and maintain FL230. The controller questioned us as we were crossing the VOR at 13000 ft and stated that it was not an at or above 12000 ft clearance, but a cross at 12000 ft clearance and then climb and maintain FL230. I was not thinking clearly I guess and should have realized that it was a cross at 12000 ft because as I looked back, my FMS also told me to cross it at 12000 ft and gave me an alert as I was passing through 12000 ft. I should have double checked all areas of the departure, which I didn't, but will in the future when I depart from airports I have never been to before or are not familiar with.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORPORATE PLT MISUNDERSTANDS CLRNC AND CLBS THROUGH CLRED ALT ON DEP.

Narrative: AS WE DEPARTED SJC ARPT WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL TURNS AND ALTS TO MAINTAIN. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A CLRNC TO CROSS SJC AT 12000 FT, CLB AND MAINTAIN FL230. I MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC AS DID MY COPLT. WE THOUGHT IT WAS TO CROSS SJC AT OR ABOVE 12000 FT, CLB TO AND MAINTAIN FL230. THE CTLR QUESTIONED US AS WE WERE XING THE VOR AT 13000 FT AND STATED THAT IT WAS NOT AN AT OR ABOVE 12000 FT CLRNC, BUT A CROSS AT 12000 FT CLRNC AND THEN CLB AND MAINTAIN FL230. I WAS NOT THINKING CLRLY I GUESS AND SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT IT WAS A CROSS AT 12000 FT BECAUSE AS I LOOKED BACK, MY FMS ALSO TOLD ME TO CROSS IT AT 12000 FT AND GAVE ME AN ALERT AS I WAS PASSING THROUGH 12000 FT. I SHOULD HAVE DOUBLE CHKED ALL AREAS OF THE DEP, WHICH I DIDN'T, BUT WILL IN THE FUTURE WHEN I DEPART FROM ARPTS I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO BEFORE OR ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH.

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.