Narrative:

While in a climb to 15000 ft we were told to expect a 30 min hold. The co-captain asked the controller if it was a WX situation due to a small cluster of storms moving toward our destination. The controller stated he did not know. The co-captain immediately switched off to talk to flight watch. While he was off frequency we were given a clearance to 17000 ft (our requested final altitude). Even though he was still talking to flight watch, I told the co-captain to select 17000 ft in the alerter. Upon reaching 16000 ft, center asked our altitude. I instinctively leveled the climb until I knew what was wrong. We told him we were leaving 16000 ft for 17000 ft. The co-captain had just come back from talking to flight watch and was confused about the situation. The controller said we had been cleared to 15000 ft. We told him we had been cleared to 17000 ft. He paused and said he would 'work on that' and handed us off to new york at 17000 ft. New york accepted us at 17000 ft without further incident. I believe the problem was caused by several factors: 1) having only 1 person listening on the radio during the climb phase. 2) confusion between center and flight crew about the altitude clearance. 3) the shortness of the flight. 4) the concern about the WX and the anticipated hold. I feel the easiest way to prevent a situation like this would be to have both crew members stay on center frequency during all climb and descent phases. This situation left the person normally talking on the radio out of the loop. It diverted from the normal flow of information at a crucial point on a very short flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC ON A WESTWIND II, MTN TO TEB, WERE CLRED TO CLB TO 15000 FT AND BELIEVED THAT THEY HAD BEEN CLRED TO 17000 FT.

Narrative: WHILE IN A CLB TO 15000 FT WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT A 30 MIN HOLD. THE CO-CAPT ASKED THE CTLR IF IT WAS A WX SIT DUE TO A SMALL CLUSTER OF STORMS MOVING TOWARD OUR DEST. THE CTLR STATED HE DID NOT KNOW. THE CO-CAPT IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED OFF TO TALK TO FLT WATCH. WHILE HE WAS OFF FREQ WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO 17000 FT (OUR REQUESTED FINAL ALT). EVEN THOUGH HE WAS STILL TALKING TO FLT WATCH, I TOLD THE CO-CAPT TO SELECT 17000 FT IN THE ALERTER. UPON REACHING 16000 FT, CTR ASKED OUR ALT. I INSTINCTIVELY LEVELED THE CLB UNTIL I KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG. WE TOLD HIM WE WERE LEAVING 16000 FT FOR 17000 FT. THE CO-CAPT HAD JUST COME BACK FROM TALKING TO FLT WATCH AND WAS CONFUSED ABOUT THE SIT. THE CTLR SAID WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 15000 FT. WE TOLD HIM WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 17000 FT. HE PAUSED AND SAID HE WOULD 'WORK ON THAT' AND HANDED US OFF TO NEW YORK AT 17000 FT. NEW YORK ACCEPTED US AT 17000 FT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY SEVERAL FACTORS: 1) HAVING ONLY 1 PERSON LISTENING ON THE RADIO DURING THE CLB PHASE. 2) CONFUSION BTWN CTR AND FLC ABOUT THE ALT CLRNC. 3) THE SHORTNESS OF THE FLT. 4) THE CONCERN ABOUT THE WX AND THE ANTICIPATED HOLD. I FEEL THE EASIEST WAY TO PREVENT A SIT LIKE THIS WOULD BE TO HAVE BOTH CREW MEMBERS STAY ON CTR FREQ DURING ALL CLB AND DSCNT PHASES. THIS SIT LEFT THE PERSON NORMALLY TALKING ON THE RADIO OUT OF THE LOOP. IT DIVERTED FROM THE NORMAL FLOW OF INFO AT A CRUCIAL POINT ON A VERY SHORT FLT.

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.