Narrative:

Upon departing on an IFR flight plan from owd we were given a heading change from tower to head 300 degrees, after reaching 1000 ft and then switch to departure control. We believed the tower told us to climb to 3000 ft as well, but he may not have. Our original departure altitude was 2000 ft. When we checked in with departure control he asked us our altitude and we said 2500 ft. He said our clearance was to 2000 ft not 3000 ft. I believe the reason for the confusion was the change tower gave us to turn left to 300 degrees at 1000 ft and it was a busy cockpit. Supplemental information from acn 401877: upon climb out we were instructed to turn left to 300 degree heading. Upon reaching 1000 ft we made our turn (left) to 300 degree heading. When we received this clearance I wrote on my pad the heading we were to turn, 300 degrees, and I wrote it next to our initial climb altitude of 2000 ft. Once we began our turn we were given a frequency change. As I was tuning the radio the PF asked if we were cleared to 3000 ft. I was preoccupying myself with the frequency change and when he asked me, I quickly glanced at my pad and saw 300 degrees and I mistook that for 3000 ft and I told the PF we were cleared to 3000 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PVT SK76 FLC CLBED ABOVE THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THE FLC CONFUSED A HEADING WITH THE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: UPON DEPARTING ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM OWD WE WERE GIVEN A HEADING CHANGE FROM TWR TO HEAD 300 DEGS, AFTER REACHING 1000 FT AND THEN SWITCH TO DEP CTL. WE BELIEVED THE TWR TOLD US TO CLB TO 3000 FT AS WELL, BUT HE MAY NOT HAVE. OUR ORIGINAL DEP ALT WAS 2000 FT. WHEN WE CHKED IN WITH DEP CTL HE ASKED US OUR ALT AND WE SAID 2500 FT. HE SAID OUR CLRNC WAS TO 2000 FT NOT 3000 FT. I BELIEVE THE REASON FOR THE CONFUSION WAS THE CHANGE TWR GAVE US TO TURN L TO 300 DEGS AT 1000 FT AND IT WAS A BUSY COCKPIT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 401877: UPON CLBOUT WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TURN L TO 300 DEG HDG. UPON REACHING 1000 FT WE MADE OUR TURN (L) TO 300 DEG HDG. WHEN WE RECEIVED THIS CLRNC I WROTE ON MY PAD THE HEADING WE WERE TO TURN, 300 DEGS, AND I WROTE IT NEXT TO OUR INITIAL CLB ALT OF 2000 FT. ONCE WE BEGAN OUR TURN WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE. AS I WAS TUNING THE RADIO THE PF ASKED IF WE WERE CLRED TO 3000 FT. I WAS PREOCCUPYING MYSELF WITH THE FREQ CHANGE AND WHEN HE ASKED ME, I QUICKLY GLANCED AT MY PAD AND SAW 300 DEGS AND I MISTOOK THAT FOR 3000 FT AND I TOLD THE PF WE WERE CLRED TO 3000 FT.

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.