Narrative:

On apr/xa/98 I was PIC and PF on flight from pbi to mco. At approximately XY45 we departed runway 9L, heading 095 degrees with a climb to 1500 ft, watch for traffic (1500 ft also coincides with our company checklist for 'climb power, climb check'). At this moment, we were further cleared to a higher altitude, turn left to 360 degrees, expedite through 6000 ft for traffic, and intercept V531 on course. I'm not sure if he really gave us 9000 ft or not, but we read back 10000 ft and put 10000 ft in our altitude selector. After turning to intercept the course, the controller inquired if we were level at 9000 ft. We responded that we read back 10000 ft and we were level at 10000 ft. He said he had only cleared us to 9000 ft. At that time he cleared us to descend to 9000 ft. There was no other traffic near us at that time. On board, and plugged in was an aviation safety inspector conducting a line check. He also heard us read back 10000 ft. The difficulty we experienced is common for us at pbi. Whereas, at the 1500 ft level we must perform the following: level off, watch for traffic from the parallel runway, climb power climb check, slow up the aircraft to not exceed air traffic area maximum airspeed, and then receive clearance with 3 or 4 separate items including altitude, heading, expedite, and intercept. We've never understood why pbi has a 1500 ft limit, while maintaining heading 095 degrees, heading the wrong direction over the atlantic ocean. A mistake was made by us and by the controller as he failed to correct our readback.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE02 FLC OVERSHOT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT DURING A CLRNC INTERP PROB. CTLR FAILED TO CATCH ERRONEOUS READBACK.

Narrative: ON APR/XA/98 I WAS PIC AND PF ON FLT FROM PBI TO MCO. AT APPROX XY45 WE DEPARTED RWY 9L, HDG 095 DEGS WITH A CLB TO 1500 FT, WATCH FOR TFC (1500 FT ALSO COINCIDES WITH OUR COMPANY CHKLIST FOR 'CLB PWR, CLB CHK'). AT THIS MOMENT, WE WERE FURTHER CLRED TO A HIGHER ALT, TURN L TO 360 DEGS, EXPEDITE THROUGH 6000 FT FOR TFC, AND INTERCEPT V531 ON COURSE. I'M NOT SURE IF HE REALLY GAVE US 9000 FT OR NOT, BUT WE READ BACK 10000 FT AND PUT 10000 FT IN OUR ALT SELECTOR. AFTER TURNING TO INTERCEPT THE COURSE, THE CTLR INQUIRED IF WE WERE LEVEL AT 9000 FT. WE RESPONDED THAT WE READ BACK 10000 FT AND WE WERE LEVEL AT 10000 FT. HE SAID HE HAD ONLY CLRED US TO 9000 FT. AT THAT TIME HE CLRED US TO DSND TO 9000 FT. THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC NEAR US AT THAT TIME. ON BOARD, AND PLUGGED IN WAS AN AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR CONDUCTING A LINE CHK. HE ALSO HEARD US READ BACK 10000 FT. THE DIFFICULTY WE EXPERIENCED IS COMMON FOR US AT PBI. WHEREAS, AT THE 1500 FT LEVEL WE MUST PERFORM THE FOLLOWING: LEVEL OFF, WATCH FOR TFC FROM THE PARALLEL RWY, CLB PWR CLB CHK, SLOW UP THE ACFT TO NOT EXCEED ATA MAX AIRSPD, AND THEN RECEIVE CLRNC WITH 3 OR 4 SEPARATE ITEMS INCLUDING ALT, HDG, EXPEDITE, AND INTERCEPT. WE'VE NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY PBI HAS A 1500 FT LIMIT, WHILE MAINTAINING HDG 095 DEGS, HDG THE WRONG DIRECTION OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. A MISTAKE WAS MADE BY US AND BY THE CTLR AS HE FAILED TO CORRECT OUR READBACK.

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.