Captain of a B767 ferry flight started climb prior to being cleared due to a misunderstanding that the speed clearance given by departure control was a climb clearance.

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Attributes
ACN	455980
Time
Date	199911
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ord.vor
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 13400
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	455980
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : altitude alert
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a ferry flight from ord to jfk in aircraft, about 10 mi east of ord and level at 13000 ft and restr to 250 KTS. We received a frequency change to ZAU and normal speed clearance. As I was changing frequency, the captain initiated a climb (I believe he thought the normal speed clearance was a climb clearance). The 300 ft alert went off. I confirmed with the captain that no climb was given. We immediately leveled off (13400 ft) and returned to our cruising altitude of 13000 ft. I checked in with center, which gave us a climb to FL230 and nothing was said about our altitude deviation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B767 FERRY FLT STARTED CLB PRIOR TO BEING CLRED DUE TO A MISUNDERSTANDING THAT THE SPD CLRNC GIVEN BY DEP CTL WAS A CLB CLRNC.

Narrative: ON A FERRY FLT FROM ORD TO JFK IN ACFT, ABOUT 10 MI E OF ORD AND LEVEL AT 13000 FT AND RESTR TO 250 KTS. WE RECEIVED A FREQ CHANGE TO ZAU AND NORMAL SPD CLRNC. AS I WAS CHANGING FREQ, THE CAPT INITIATED A CLB (I BELIEVE HE THOUGHT THE NORMAL SPD CLRNC WAS A CLB CLRNC). THE 300 FT ALERT WENT OFF. I CONFIRMED WITH THE CAPT THAT NO CLB WAS GIVEN. WE IMMEDIATELY LEVELED OFF (13400 FT) AND RETURNED TO OUR CRUISING ALT OF 13000 FT. I CHKED IN WITH CTR, WHICH GAVE US A CLB TO FL230 AND NOTHING WAS SAID ABOUT OUR ALTDEV.

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.