An MD80 captain appears unsure of the altitude he was actually assigned by ATC.

Attributes
ACN	452920
Time
Date	199910
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors departure sid : maverick
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 12500 flight time type : 8500
ASRS Report	452920
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On climb out from dfw for transition to bilee (iah), we were given (I'm not sure when -- and that's part of the reason for this comment) 5000 ft (traffic?). We leveled at 5000 ft (armed in FMA) and shortly thereafter I started looking for a break to ask departure for higher. (I thought he might have forgotten us.) we were on a vector approximately 090 degrees at the time. When we got through, he turned us south and was surprised at our altitude. I acknowledged clearance and we departed to center normally in all other regards.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CAPT APPEARS UNSURE OF THE ALT HE WAS ACTUALLY ASSIGNED BY ATC.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM DFW FOR TRANSITION TO BILEE (IAH), WE WERE GIVEN (I'M NOT SURE WHEN -- AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON FOR THIS COMMENT) 5000 FT (TFC?). WE LEVELED AT 5000 FT (ARMED IN FMA) AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER I STARTED LOOKING FOR A BREAK TO ASK DEP FOR HIGHER. (I THOUGHT HE MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN US.) WE WERE ON A VECTOR APPROX 090 DEGS AT THE TIME. WHEN WE GOT THROUGH, HE TURNED US S AND WAS SURPRISED AT OUR ALT. I ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC AND WE DEPARTED TO CTR NORMALLY IN ALL OTHER REGARDS.

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.