Narrative:

We had just departed pwk, departure was giving us heading and altitude changes fairly quickly. Our heading had changed from 030 degrees to 210 degrees clockwise, and altitude changes upward from 2000 ft to 11000 ft. The situation was started when we both heard climb and maintain FL190, we thought we were through 13000 ft when the controller questioned what we were climbing to. I know it is not justification, but we read back the climb and maintain FL190 and were not corrected. The frequency was very slow and we did not understand the problem until ATC queried us. No conflicts were observed or heard of. I believe if headings are given, maybe it would be clrer to say 'turn 20 degrees left' instead of saying 'turn 190 degrees.' we need some kind of differentiation for 190 degrees, FL190, 190 KIAS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE200 CREW CLBS ABOVE THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THEY MISINTERP THE ASSIGNED HDG AS AN ALT CHANGE 25 MI SW OF ORD, IL.

Narrative: WE HAD JUST DEPARTED PWK, DEP WAS GIVING US HDG AND ALT CHANGES FAIRLY QUICKLY. OUR HDG HAD CHANGED FROM 030 DEGS TO 210 DEGS CLOCKWISE, AND ALT CHANGES UPWARD FROM 2000 FT TO 11000 FT. THE SIT WAS STARTED WHEN WE BOTH HEARD CLB AND MAINTAIN FL190, WE THOUGHT WE WERE THROUGH 13000 FT WHEN THE CTLR QUESTIONED WHAT WE WERE CLBING TO. I KNOW IT IS NOT JUSTIFICATION, BUT WE READ BACK THE CLB AND MAINTAIN FL190 AND WERE NOT CORRECTED. THE FREQ WAS VERY SLOW AND WE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE PROB UNTIL ATC QUERIED US. NO CONFLICTS WERE OBSERVED OR HEARD OF. I BELIEVE IF HDGS ARE GIVEN, MAYBE IT WOULD BE CLRER TO SAY 'TURN 20 DEGS L' INSTEAD OF SAYING 'TURN 190 DEGS.' WE NEED SOME KIND OF DIFFERENTIATION FOR 190 DEGS, FL190, 190 KIAS.

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.