Narrative:

Light transport assigned to commuter airlines flight charlottesville to baltimore. We received our initial clearance from cho ground control at xx. The clearance read as follows: cho direct gordonsville, V3, westminster direct baltimore. The initial altitude assigned was 5000' MSL with an expect 7000' MSL in 10 mins. We departed cho runway 3 at XX10, an while climbing through 1500' MSL for 5000' MSL, contacted ZDC on 124.25 for our initial check-in. The center controller further cleared us to 7000' MSL. We acknowledged the higher climb limit and continued to monitor the frequency. A few mins later the frequency received a stuck microphone. We switched to ZDC on 133.2 and successfully reestablished contact with ZDC. We continued on a runway heading to intercept V3. At this time the PIC had an apparently audio panel problem and began trying to remedy the problem. I called out, '6000' for 7000',' and continued to monitor the flight. A few mins later at approximately XX30, the center controller asked us to recontact ZDC on 124.25. While the PIC continued to try to remedy his audio panel problem, I recontacted ZDC on 124.24. Upon acknowledging recontact the center controller asked if we were turning onto V3. I acknowledged affirmative and was asked by the controller what our initial clearance was. I turned to consult with the PIC about our initial clearance and about the question asked by the controller. The controller again asked about our initial clearance, and I replied, 'please stand by.' I again turned to the PIC to discuss the controller's question when we noticed the altimeter passing through 7600' MSL and started an immediate descent to 7000' MSL. The controller stated for us to maintain 7000'. I replied we were leveling 7000'. By this time the PIC had resolved his audio problem. The PIC contacted the center controller and discussed the discrepancy in our clearance. Realizing we failed to comply with the initial clearance, the PIC apologized and asked if we ha caused any conflicts. The controller replied that no conflict had evolved and stated if we would have asked for a clearance of runway heading to join the arwy, we would have received it. We continued the flight and landed in baltimore west/O any further problems. The cause of this event was complacency due to an almost constant issuance of a specific clearance, runway heading to join the arwy. The altitude deviation was caused by the distraction of the audio problem as well as the question of the controller about the initial clearance. In order to prevent this event occurring again, a higher awareness of getting a slightly different clearance should be established. Also, by not letting minor distrs remove the pilots from the actual flight of the aircraft.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER FLT CREW HAS HEADING DEVIATION, ALT DEVIATION AND AUDIO PANEL PROBLEM.

Narrative: LTT ASSIGNED TO COMMUTER AIRLINES FLT CHARLOTTESVILLE TO BALTIMORE. WE RECEIVED OUR INITIAL CLRNC FROM CHO GND CTL AT XX. THE CLRNC READ AS FOLLOWS: CHO DIRECT GORDONSVILLE, V3, WESTMINSTER DIRECT BALTIMORE. THE INITIAL ALT ASSIGNED WAS 5000' MSL WITH AN EXPECT 7000' MSL IN 10 MINS. WE DEPARTED CHO RWY 3 AT XX10, AN WHILE CLBING THROUGH 1500' MSL FOR 5000' MSL, CONTACTED ZDC ON 124.25 FOR OUR INITIAL CHK-IN. THE CENTER CTLR FURTHER CLRED US TO 7000' MSL. WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE HIGHER CLB LIMIT AND CONTINUED TO MONITOR THE FREQ. A FEW MINS LATER THE FREQ RECEIVED A STUCK MIC. WE SWITCHED TO ZDC ON 133.2 AND SUCCESSFULLY REESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH ZDC. WE CONTINUED ON A RWY HDG TO INTERCEPT V3. AT THIS TIME THE PIC HAD AN APPARENTLY AUDIO PANEL PROB AND BEGAN TRYING TO REMEDY THE PROB. I CALLED OUT, '6000' FOR 7000',' AND CONTINUED TO MONITOR THE FLT. A FEW MINS LATER AT APPROX XX30, THE CENTER CTLR ASKED US TO RECONTACT ZDC ON 124.25. WHILE THE PIC CONTINUED TO TRY TO REMEDY HIS AUDIO PANEL PROB, I RECONTACTED ZDC ON 124.24. UPON ACKNOWLEDGING RECONTACT THE CENTER CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE TURNING ONTO V3. I ACKNOWLEDGED AFFIRMATIVE AND WAS ASKED BY THE CTLR WHAT OUR INITIAL CLRNC WAS. I TURNED TO CONSULT WITH THE PIC ABOUT OUR INITIAL CLRNC AND ABOUT THE QUESTION ASKED BY THE CTLR. THE CTLR AGAIN ASKED ABOUT OUR INITIAL CLRNC, AND I REPLIED, 'PLEASE STAND BY.' I AGAIN TURNED TO THE PIC TO DISCUSS THE CTLR'S QUESTION WHEN WE NOTICED THE ALTIMETER PASSING THROUGH 7600' MSL AND STARTED AN IMMEDIATE DSNT TO 7000' MSL. THE CTLR STATED FOR US TO MAINTAIN 7000'. I REPLIED WE WERE LEVELING 7000'. BY THIS TIME THE PIC HAD RESOLVED HIS AUDIO PROB. THE PIC CONTACTED THE CENTER CTLR AND DISCUSSED THE DISCREPANCY IN OUR CLRNC. REALIZING WE FAILED TO COMPLY WITH THE INITIAL CLRNC, THE PIC APOLOGIZED AND ASKED IF WE HA CAUSED ANY CONFLICTS. THE CTLR REPLIED THAT NO CONFLICT HAD EVOLVED AND STATED IF WE WOULD HAVE ASKED FOR A CLRNC OF RWY HDG TO JOIN THE ARWY, WE WOULD HAVE RECEIVED IT. WE CONTINUED THE FLT AND LANDED IN BALTIMORE W/O ANY FURTHER PROBS. THE CAUSE OF THIS EVENT WAS COMPLACENCY DUE TO AN ALMOST CONSTANT ISSUANCE OF A SPECIFIC CLRNC, RWY HDG TO JOIN THE ARWY. THE ALT DEVIATION WAS CAUSED BY THE DISTR OF THE AUDIO PROB AS WELL AS THE QUESTION OF THE CTLR ABOUT THE INITIAL CLRNC. IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS EVENT OCCURRING AGAIN, A HIGHER AWARENESS OF GETTING A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT CLRNC SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED. ALSO, BY NOT LETTING MINOR DISTRS REMOVE THE PLTS FROM THE ACTUAL FLT 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.