Narrative:

IFR clearance was received for canal 3 departure from mdw with clearance to 9000'. Upon departure of runway 4L an initial heading of 090 degrees was given by tower. In a right turn traffic was pointed out that would be 11 O'clock and 2 mi. I felt may be conflicting and took extra notice to position and continued climb while in tower frequency. Upon handoff to chicago approach and checking in with approach, copilot calls climbing through 3200' for 9000'. Controller responds with a question about altitude we are to maintain. Copilot responds that we're following clearance instructions. Controller advises he'll check into it and clears us to maintain 4000'. Controller returns a couple minutes later with clearance to 9000' and that in the future we should question any clearance off mdw to such a high altitude, and we shouldn't have been cleared to 9000'. I believe problem started with initial clearance delivery concerning initial altitudes and standard instrument departure procedures, ie, departure control expecting SID altitudes and clearance delivery issuing conflicting altitudes. Also coordination between mdw and O'hare may have contributed. Departure control expected only a climb to 3000' and wasn't expecting an aircraft off mdw climbing to 9000'. It's not believed any safety was jeopardized at any time, only a misstating of clearance. Also problem was corrected almost immediately upon initial contact with departure control.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW IN CLIMB DEVIATED FROM SID.

Narrative: IFR CLRNC WAS RECEIVED FOR CANAL 3 DEP FROM MDW WITH CLRNC TO 9000'. UPON DEP OF RWY 4L AN INITIAL HDG OF 090 DEGS WAS GIVEN BY TWR. IN A RIGHT TURN TFC WAS POINTED OUT THAT WOULD BE 11 O'CLOCK AND 2 MI. I FELT MAY BE CONFLICTING AND TOOK EXTRA NOTICE TO POS AND CONTINUED CLB WHILE IN TWR FREQ. UPON HDOF TO CHICAGO APCH AND CHKING IN WITH APCH, COPLT CALLS CLBING THROUGH 3200' FOR 9000'. CTLR RESPONDS WITH A QUESTION ABOUT ALT WE ARE TO MAINTAIN. COPLT RESPONDS THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING CLRNC INSTRUCTIONS. CTLR ADVISES HE'LL CHK INTO IT AND CLRS US TO MAINTAIN 4000'. CTLR RETURNS A COUPLE MINUTES LATER WITH CLRNC TO 9000' AND THAT IN THE FUTURE WE SHOULD QUESTION ANY CLRNC OFF MDW TO SUCH A HIGH ALT, AND WE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN CLRED TO 9000'. I BELIEVE PROB STARTED WITH INITIAL CLRNC DELIVERY CONCERNING INITIAL ALTS AND STANDARD INSTRUMENT DEP PROCS, IE, DEP CTL EXPECTING SID ALTS AND CLRNC DELIVERY ISSUING CONFLICTING ALTS. ALSO COORD BTWN MDW AND O'HARE MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED. DEP CTL EXPECTED ONLY A CLB TO 3000' AND WASN'T EXPECTING AN ACFT OFF MDW CLBING TO 9000'. IT'S NOT BELIEVED ANY SAFETY WAS JEOPARDIZED AT ANY TIME, ONLY A MISSTATING OF CLRNC. ALSO PROB WAS CORRECTED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY UPON INITIAL CONTACT WITH DEP CTL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.