Flight crew departed assigned altitude by 800 ft momentarily.

Attributes
ACN	305430
Time
Date	199505
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oma
State Reference	NE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zmp
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 4400 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	305430
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We had departed oma. Upon checking on with ZMP, we were cleared to 16000 ft and advised of traffic passing at 17000 ft. We leveled at 16000 ft on an assigned heading and idented the passing traffic both visually and on the TCASII display. I watched as the traffic passed to our north. A short time later the controller issued us a clearance direct iowa city, a fix which wasn't in our FMS. With the traffic already well passed us, I was expecting to hear a clearance to climb. So I mistook the direct iowa city clearance as a climb clearance and commenced climbing. I realized my mistake passing 16800 ft and started a descent down to our assigned altitude. The controller reiterated the fact we were only assigned 16000 ft and we reported level at 16000 ft which by this time we were again. Nothing more was stated by either us or the controller. I think it is very important to keep a check on what you expect to be cleared to and listen carefully to what you are cleared to. There were some related factors such as get homeitis after a 4-DAY trip near the end of a long day with delayed takeoff. I flew all day with nothing more to eat than the typical airport snacks. But the real culprit was expecting to hear a clearance and actually receiving a completely different one.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC DEPARTED ASSIGNED ALT BY 800 FT MOMENTARILY.

Narrative: WE HAD DEPARTED OMA. UPON CHKING ON WITH ZMP, WE WERE CLRED TO 16000 FT AND ADVISED OF TFC PASSING AT 17000 FT. WE LEVELED AT 16000 FT ON AN ASSIGNED HDG AND IDENTED THE PASSING TFC BOTH VISUALLY AND ON THE TCASII DISPLAY. I WATCHED AS THE TFC PASSED TO OUR N. A SHORT TIME LATER THE CTLR ISSUED US A CLRNC DIRECT IOWA CITY, A FIX WHICH WASN'T IN OUR FMS. WITH THE TFC ALREADY WELL PASSED US, I WAS EXPECTING TO HEAR A CLRNC TO CLB. SO I MISTOOK THE DIRECT IOWA CITY CLRNC AS A CLB CLRNC AND COMMENCED CLBING. I REALIZED MY MISTAKE PASSING 16800 FT AND STARTED A DSCNT DOWN TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT. THE CTLR REITERATED THE FACT WE WERE ONLY ASSIGNED 16000 FT AND WE RPTED LEVEL AT 16000 FT WHICH BY THIS TIME WE WERE AGAIN. NOTHING MORE WAS STATED BY EITHER US OR THE CTLR. I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP A CHK ON WHAT YOU EXPECT TO BE CLRED TO AND LISTEN CAREFULLY TO WHAT YOU ARE CLRED TO. THERE WERE SOME RELATED FACTORS SUCH AS GET HOMEITIS AFTER A 4-DAY TRIP NEAR THE END OF A LONG DAY WITH DELAYED TKOF. I FLEW ALL DAY WITH NOTHING MORE TO EAT THAN THE TYPICAL ARPT SNACKS. BUT THE REAL CULPRIT WAS EXPECTING TO HEAR A CLRNC AND ACTUALLY RECEIVING A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ONE.

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.