Air taxi pilot leaves altitude without clearance when one was expected.

Attributes
ACN	489669
Time
Date	200010
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Citation III, VI, VII
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 2430 flight time type : 310
ASRS Report	489699
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on an IFR flight plan between louisville, ky, and waukesha, wi. Though we had requested and been given an expected cruise altitude of FL390, upon reaching FL290 we were informed that FL290 would be our final cruise altitude to our destination. I in turn acknowledged his transmission. Subsequently the captain asked the center controller for any options to take us higher. At one point in their dialogue the controller stated 'if you can come left to 300 degrees, I can give you FL310.' simultaneously, I was occupied on the #2 communication trying to receive the AWOS for waukesha. When I turned my attention back to the captain, a few moments later, he stated, we are 300 degrees assigned and FL310. We in turn departed FL290 for FL310. Within a few seconds the center controller requested confirmation that we were at FL290. The captain stated that we were leaving FL290 for FL310 and that he had traffic in sight. The controller stated that we were not cleared to climb and to maintain FL290 and heading 300 degrees. We immediately corrected back to FL290. The controller then asked 'why we had climbed?' the captain stated we were assigned heading 300 degrees and FL310. The controller disputed this stating we were assigned heading 300 degrees but not cleared to climb.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI PLT LEAVES ALT WITHOUT CLRNC WHEN ONE WAS EXPECTED.

Narrative: WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN BTWN LOUISVILLE, KY, AND WAUKESHA, WI. THOUGH WE HAD REQUESTED AND BEEN GIVEN AN EXPECTED CRUISE ALT OF FL390, UPON REACHING FL290 WE WERE INFORMED THAT FL290 WOULD BE OUR FINAL CRUISE ALT TO OUR DEST. I IN TURN ACKNOWLEDGED HIS XMISSION. SUBSEQUENTLY THE CAPT ASKED THE CTR CTLR FOR ANY OPTIONS TO TAKE US HIGHER. AT ONE POINT IN THEIR DIALOGUE THE CTLR STATED 'IF YOU CAN COME L TO 300 DEGS, I CAN GIVE YOU FL310.' SIMULTANEOUSLY, I WAS OCCUPIED ON THE #2 COM TRYING TO RECEIVE THE AWOS FOR WAUKESHA. WHEN I TURNED MY ATTN BACK TO THE CAPT, A FEW MOMENTS LATER, HE STATED, WE ARE 300 DEGS ASSIGNED AND FL310. WE IN TURN DEPARTED FL290 FOR FL310. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE CTR CTLR REQUESTED CONFIRMATION THAT WE WERE AT FL290. THE CAPT STATED THAT WE WERE LEAVING FL290 FOR FL310 AND THAT HE HAD TFC IN SIGHT. THE CTLR STATED THAT WE WERE NOT CLRED TO CLB AND TO MAINTAIN FL290 AND HEADING 300 DEGS. WE IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED BACK TO FL290. THE CTLR THEN ASKED 'WHY WE HAD CLBED?' THE CAPT STATED WE WERE ASSIGNED HEADING 300 DEGS AND FL310. THE CTLR DISPUTED THIS STATING WE WERE ASSIGNED HEADING 300 DEGS BUT NOT CLRED TO CLB.

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.