Narrative:

We were given takeoff clearance including climb to 7;000 and not including 'RNAV (first fix).' I am accustomed to hearing 'cleared for takeoff RNAV (first fix)' at other airports with RNAV departures. I perceived the instruction; and verified with the other pilot; that we were given 'fly runway heading.' on takeoff; we flew runway heading until questioned by departure. Departure gave us multiple instructions; including turn to a heading; stop the climb at 6;000; navigate to the first fix; resume the SID; and climb to 7;000. The 6;000 level off instruction came as we were rapidly approaching that altitude (departure assigned expedite climb through 5;000); and we ascended through it to about 6;400 before starting the descent back to 6;000. This is when we were given 7;000. Once out of sterile flight deck; we started debriefing the event; and were given an altitude higher than our assigned. The aircraft was downgraded from rvsm per MEL; but we climbed into rvsm airspace before noticing and then promptly requested a return to our filed altitude.we expected the takeoff clearance to contain 'RNAV (first fix).' lacking that; we perceived the takeoff clearance to contain 'fly runway heading;' though it may not have. That caused confusion which led to rapidly changing ATC instructions; busting the level off; which may have been unavoidable based on the late instruction and good climb performance; and further distraction of debriefing leading to a climb to an altitude above the aircraft's meled rvsm limitation.RNAV departure clearances should either always or never contain 'RNAV (first fix).' being used to hearing that; we perceived the lack of that instruction to mean fly runway heading.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air carrier flight crew reported track heading and altitude deviations during departure and cited confusing ATC instructions as a contributing factor.

Narrative: We were given takeoff clearance including climb to 7;000 and not including 'RNAV (first fix).' I am accustomed to hearing 'Cleared for takeoff RNAV (first fix)' at other airports with RNAV departures. I perceived the instruction; and verified with the other pilot; that we were given 'fly runway heading.' On takeoff; we flew runway heading until questioned by Departure. Departure gave us multiple instructions; including turn to a heading; stop the climb at 6;000; navigate to the first fix; resume the SID; and climb to 7;000. The 6;000 level off instruction came as we were rapidly approaching that altitude (Departure assigned expedite climb through 5;000); and we ascended through it to about 6;400 before starting the descent back to 6;000. This is when we were given 7;000. Once out of sterile flight deck; we started debriefing the event; and were given an altitude higher than our assigned. The aircraft was downgraded from RVSM per MEL; but we climbed into RVSM airspace before noticing and then promptly requested a return to our filed altitude.We expected the takeoff clearance to contain 'RNAV (first fix).' Lacking that; we perceived the takeoff clearance to contain 'fly runway heading;' though it may not have. That caused confusion which led to rapidly changing ATC instructions; busting the level off; which may have been unavoidable based on the late instruction and good climb performance; and further distraction of debriefing leading to a climb to an altitude above the aircraft's MELed RVSM limitation.RNAV departure clearances should either always or never contain 'RNAV (first fix).' Being used to hearing that; we perceived the lack of that instruction to mean fly runway heading.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.