Narrative:

Flight prepared to depart dtw for mci. Copilot called for clearance and was issued standard departure clearance with one exception, to maintain 6000'. Normal is to maintain 5000'. I was out of the cockpit at the time clearance was obtained, but the copilot had written the clearance down (as normally done) and read it to me when I returned. I questioned the 6000' altitude, but he said that was what he had been issued and what he had read back to clearance delivery. After takeoff (copilot's leg) I switched to departure control. By the time I was able to get in on the frequency, we were leveling at 6000', I reported 'level at 6000.' controller asked what I was doing at 6000', I was only cleared to 5000'. I explained that our clearance had been to 6000' and read him what we had been issued. He said that the clearance was for the metropolitan 6, not 6000', but there was no problem since this mistake happens quite frequently. At that point he issued us 9000' and a frequency change. No evasive action was required by anyone since no other traffic involved. I feel that perhaps my copilot may have been fatigued and not as alert as he could have been. I should have had him re-question the altitude with clearance delivery. Most of all, if this happens frequently at dtw, maybe they need to change their procedures. Controller issuing the clearance should have corrected the copilot when he read back the clearance if it was not correct. I'll be present now when clearance issued.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW MISREAD CLRNC ON SID, CLIMBED TO WRONG ALT.

Narrative: FLT PREPARED TO DEPART DTW FOR MCI. COPLT CALLED FOR CLRNC AND WAS ISSUED STANDARD DEP CLRNC WITH ONE EXCEPTION, TO MAINTAIN 6000'. NORMAL IS TO MAINTAIN 5000'. I WAS OUT OF THE COCKPIT AT THE TIME CLRNC WAS OBTAINED, BUT THE COPLT HAD WRITTEN THE CLRNC DOWN (AS NORMALLY DONE) AND READ IT TO ME WHEN I RETURNED. I QUESTIONED THE 6000' ALT, BUT HE SAID THAT WAS WHAT HE HAD BEEN ISSUED AND WHAT HE HAD READ BACK TO CLRNC DELIVERY. AFTER TKOF (COPLT'S LEG) I SWITCHED TO DEP CTL. BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO GET IN ON THE FREQ, WE WERE LEVELING AT 6000', I RPTED 'LEVEL AT 6000.' CTLR ASKED WHAT I WAS DOING AT 6000', I WAS ONLY CLRED TO 5000'. I EXPLAINED THAT OUR CLRNC HAD BEEN TO 6000' AND READ HIM WHAT WE HAD BEEN ISSUED. HE SAID THAT THE CLRNC WAS FOR THE METRO 6, NOT 6000', BUT THERE WAS NO PROB SINCE THIS MISTAKE HAPPENS QUITE FREQUENTLY. AT THAT POINT HE ISSUED US 9000' AND A FREQ CHANGE. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS REQUIRED BY ANYONE SINCE NO OTHER TFC INVOLVED. I FEEL THAT PERHAPS MY COPLT MAY HAVE BEEN FATIGUED AND NOT AS ALERT AS HE COULD HAVE BEEN. I SHOULD HAVE HAD HIM RE-QUESTION THE ALT WITH CLRNC DELIVERY. MOST OF ALL, IF THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY AT DTW, MAYBE THEY NEED TO CHANGE THEIR PROCS. CTLR ISSUING THE CLRNC SHOULD HAVE CORRECTED THE COPLT WHEN HE READ BACK THE CLRNC IF IT WAS NOT CORRECT. I'LL BE PRESENT NOW WHEN CLRNC ISSUED.

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.