Narrative:

The reported event occurred on a part 91 repositioning flight from osu to frg. A flight plan was filed and the aircraft fueled prior to departure. While the PIC paid for fuel and called company operations in the FBO, the sic prepared the aircraft for departure. During his preparation, the sic called for and received the IFR clearance for the flight from osu ground control. Upon the PIC's return to the aircraft, the departure was briefed based upon the clearance received by the sic. The sic stated that on departure we were to proceed direct to hvg VOR and climb to FL330. PIC did not question accuracy of clearance due to fact that the sic was highly experienced. Shortly after departure, we were instructed to contact columbus departure. The sic, who was the PNF, called departure as the flight climbed through approximately 4000 ft MSL. He stated the altitude we were at and that we were climbing to FL330 and also that we were proceeding direct to hvg. The controller on the departure frequency asked us to restate the altitude we were climbing to. The sic restated that we were going to FL330 as assigned in our received clearance. The controller instructed us to level off at 6000 ft MSL and stated that we should have leveled the aircraft at 3000 ft MSL on departure from osu. The aircraft was leveled briefly at 6000 ft MSL, then climb to higher altitudes commenced. When the PIC queried the sic about the clearance he received, the sic stated that the clearance he received and read back did not include the initial altitude of 3000 ft MSL that was mentioned by the departure controller, and he seemed quite confident of this. The flight continued to destination without incident following this event. PIC believes this incident is the result of miscom or lack of communication between involved ATC facilities and pilots of the aircraft involved, and possibly the flow of accurate information between the crew members of the aircraft.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN H25B CREW, DEPARTING OSU, INTERPED THEIR CLRNC AS BEING UNRESTR TO FL330, WHEN IN FACT THEY WERE TO LEVEL AT 3000 FT.

Narrative: THE RPTED EVENT OCCURRED ON A PART 91 REPOSITIONING FLT FROM OSU TO FRG. A FLT PLAN WAS FILED AND THE ACFT FUELED PRIOR TO DEP. WHILE THE PIC PAID FOR FUEL AND CALLED COMPANY OPS IN THE FBO, THE SIC PREPARED THE ACFT FOR DEP. DURING HIS PREPARATION, THE SIC CALLED FOR AND RECEIVED THE IFR CLRNC FOR THE FLT FROM OSU GND CTL. UPON THE PIC'S RETURN TO THE ACFT, THE DEP WAS BRIEFED BASED UPON THE CLRNC RECEIVED BY THE SIC. THE SIC STATED THAT ON DEP WE WERE TO PROCEED DIRECT TO HVG VOR AND CLB TO FL330. PIC DID NOT QUESTION ACCURACY OF CLRNC DUE TO FACT THAT THE SIC WAS HIGHLY EXPERIENCED. SHORTLY AFTER DEP, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT COLUMBUS DEP. THE SIC, WHO WAS THE PNF, CALLED DEP AS THE FLT CLBED THROUGH APPROX 4000 FT MSL. HE STATED THE ALT WE WERE AT AND THAT WE WERE CLBING TO FL330 AND ALSO THAT WE WERE PROCEEDING DIRECT TO HVG. THE CTLR ON THE DEP FREQ ASKED US TO RESTATE THE ALT WE WERE CLBING TO. THE SIC RESTATED THAT WE WERE GOING TO FL330 AS ASSIGNED IN OUR RECEIVED CLRNC. THE CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO LEVEL OFF AT 6000 FT MSL AND STATED THAT WE SHOULD HAVE LEVELED THE ACFT AT 3000 FT MSL ON DEP FROM OSU. THE ACFT WAS LEVELED BRIEFLY AT 6000 FT MSL, THEN CLB TO HIGHER ALTS COMMENCED. WHEN THE PIC QUERIED THE SIC ABOUT THE CLRNC HE RECEIVED, THE SIC STATED THAT THE CLRNC HE RECEIVED AND READ BACK DID NOT INCLUDE THE INITIAL ALT OF 3000 FT MSL THAT WAS MENTIONED BY THE DEP CTLR, AND HE SEEMED QUITE CONFIDENT OF THIS. THE FLT CONTINUED TO DEST WITHOUT INCIDENT FOLLOWING THIS EVENT. PIC BELIEVES THIS INCIDENT IS THE RESULT OF MISCOM OR LACK OF COM BTWN INVOLVED ATC FACILITIES AND PLTS OF THE ACFT INVOLVED, AND POSSIBLY THE FLOW OF ACCURATE INFO BTWN THE CREW MEMBERS OF THE ACFT.

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.