Narrative:

The problem started with the receipt of my clearance from clearance delivery. I was having difficulty understanding the pronunciation of the SID and the STAR in my clearance from apa and slc. I was given the rockies 3 SID with the spane 4 arrival into slc. I recall in my first readback reporting 4000 ft as my initial altitude to maintain. That altitude could not be correct due to it would be below ground elevation. I must have misunderstood spane 4 as spane and 4000 ft. After correcting the SID and STAR problem, the altitude of 8000 ft could have been omitted. However, I could have missed it and the controller failed to catch it during the readback. On departure, I contacted denver departure control and he promptly asked for my assigned altitude. I reported 10000 ft. I was then informed I was cleared only to 8000 ft. At this time I was passing 8600 ft climbing to 10000 ft. Seconds later I was cleared to 12000 ft, and then was asked where I received the altitude of 10000 ft. I replied from the SID in my clearance. The controller then stated I was to maintain the altitude given to me in my clearance. It overrides the altitude in the SID. Apparently there was a breakdown in the communication between the clearance delivery controller and myself. I should have been more vigilant in receiving and the controller being more vigilant in monitoring the readback. This may have prevented this error from occurring.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA31 PLT DID NOT QUESTION THE CLRNC DELIVERY CTLR WHEN HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE SID CLRNC OR ALT. HE HAD AN ALTDEV AS A RESULT.

Narrative: THE PROB STARTED WITH THE RECEIPT OF MY CLRNC FROM CLRNC DELIVERY. I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THE PRONUNCIATION OF THE SID AND THE STAR IN MY CLRNC FROM APA AND SLC. I WAS GIVEN THE ROCKIES 3 SID WITH THE SPANE 4 ARR INTO SLC. I RECALL IN MY FIRST READBACK RPTING 4000 FT AS MY INITIAL ALT TO MAINTAIN. THAT ALT COULD NOT BE CORRECT DUE TO IT WOULD BE BELOW GND ELEVATION. I MUST HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD SPANE 4 AS SPANE AND 4000 FT. AFTER CORRECTING THE SID AND STAR PROB, THE ALT OF 8000 FT COULD HAVE BEEN OMITTED. HOWEVER, I COULD HAVE MISSED IT AND THE CTLR FAILED TO CATCH IT DURING THE READBACK. ON DEP, I CONTACTED DENVER DEP CTL AND HE PROMPTLY ASKED FOR MY ASSIGNED ALT. I RPTED 10000 FT. I WAS THEN INFORMED I WAS CLRED ONLY TO 8000 FT. AT THIS TIME I WAS PASSING 8600 FT CLBING TO 10000 FT. SECONDS LATER I WAS CLRED TO 12000 FT, AND THEN WAS ASKED WHERE I RECEIVED THE ALT OF 10000 FT. I REPLIED FROM THE SID IN MY CLRNC. THE CTLR THEN STATED I WAS TO MAINTAIN THE ALT GIVEN TO ME IN MY CLRNC. IT OVERRIDES THE ALT IN THE SID. APPARENTLY THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN IN THE COM BTWN THE CLRNC DELIVERY CTLR AND MYSELF. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE VIGILANT IN RECEIVING AND THE CTLR BEING MORE VIGILANT IN MONITORING THE READBACK. THIS MAY HAVE PREVENTED THIS ERROR FROM OCCURRING.

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.