A CE525 pilot misunderstands altitude clearance.

Attributes
ACN	521710
Time
Date	200108
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdl.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sdl.tower artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Citationjet, C525/C526
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : banyo 3
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 31 flight time total : 1778 flight time type : 249
ASRS Report	521710
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Flying the sdl BANYO3.zun SID, after starting the turn to 300 degrees and before reaching 5000 ft MSL, departure cleared me to turn right 070 degrees and climb to 7000 ft. After a radio handoff, the next controller said I was cleared to 6000 ft but to stay at 7000 ft. Both my wife and I heard the call assigning 7000 ft because I questioned it. I would recommend adding a segment to the BANYO3 showing a route and altitude to expect for the zun and sjn transitions. This would prevent getting vectors assigned during the first turn and climb while you are still low in such a high VFR traffic area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CE525 PLT MISUNDERSTANDS ALT CLRNC.

Narrative: FLYING THE SDL BANYO3.ZUN SID, AFTER STARTING THE TURN TO 300 DEGS AND BEFORE REACHING 5000 FT MSL, DEP CLRED ME TO TURN R 070 DEGS AND CLB TO 7000 FT. AFTER A RADIO HDOF, THE NEXT CTLR SAID I WAS CLRED TO 6000 FT BUT TO STAY AT 7000 FT. BOTH MY WIFE AND I HEARD THE CALL ASSIGNING 7000 FT BECAUSE I QUESTIONED IT. I WOULD RECOMMEND ADDING A SEGMENT TO THE BANYO3 SHOWING A RTE AND ALT TO EXPECT FOR THE ZUN AND SJN TRANSITIONS. THIS WOULD PREVENT GETTING VECTORS ASSIGNED DURING THE FIRST TURN AND CLB WHILE YOU ARE STILL LOW IN SUCH A HIGH VFR TFC AREA.

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.