C650 departure from shd begins climb to incorrect altitude.

Attributes
ACN	585166
Time
Date	200306
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation III, VI, VII
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	585165
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 68 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	585767
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 30000 vertical : 5000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor ATC Facility
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were departing shd on jun/tue/03 at XA10 local time in IMC conditions. We obtained clearance and release while on the ground at shd with potomac approach. We understood the controller to clear us to 6000 ft (the usual assigned altitude, we fly into this uncontrolled airport frequently), and in our readback we verified 6000 ft. Since there is no rco on the field sometimes communications aren't crystal clear and the controller asked us to verify our squawk which we had understood correctly. He never asked us to verify our altitude readback. We departed runway 23 at shd and called potomac approach out of 5000 ft at which point they can radar identify us. Potomac approach cleared us to 5000 ft. At this point we were at 5500 ft and potomac advised us of traffic at 6000 ft and 5 mi. We immediately returned to 5000 ft. The controller indicated that 5000 ft had been our original clearance limit. At no point did we receive a TCASII alert. It is the opinion of the flight crew that an rco on a field with the amount of IFR traffic that shd has would do much to prevent miscom between pilots and controllers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C650 DEP FROM SHD BEGINS CLB TO INCORRECT ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE DEPARTING SHD ON JUN/TUE/03 AT XA10 LCL TIME IN IMC CONDITIONS. WE OBTAINED CLRNC AND RELEASE WHILE ON THE GND AT SHD WITH POTOMAC APCH. WE UNDERSTOOD THE CTLR TO CLR US TO 6000 FT (THE USUAL ASSIGNED ALT, WE FLY INTO THIS UNCTLED ARPT FREQUENTLY), AND IN OUR READBACK WE VERIFIED 6000 FT. SINCE THERE IS NO RCO ON THE FIELD SOMETIMES COMS AREN'T CRYSTAL CLR AND THE CTLR ASKED US TO VERIFY OUR SQUAWK WHICH WE HAD UNDERSTOOD CORRECTLY. HE NEVER ASKED US TO VERIFY OUR ALT READBACK. WE DEPARTED RWY 23 AT SHD AND CALLED POTOMAC APCH OUT OF 5000 FT AT WHICH POINT THEY CAN RADAR IDENT US. POTOMAC APCH CLRED US TO 5000 FT. AT THIS POINT WE WERE AT 5500 FT AND POTOMAC ADVISED US OF TFC AT 6000 FT AND 5 MI. WE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO 5000 FT. THE CTLR INDICATED THAT 5000 FT HAD BEEN OUR ORIGINAL CLRNC LIMIT. AT NO POINT DID WE RECEIVE A TCASII ALERT. IT IS THE OPINION OF THE FLT CREW THAT AN RCO ON A FIELD WITH THE AMOUNT OF IFR TFC THAT SHD HAS WOULD DO MUCH TO PREVENT MISCOM BTWN PLTS AND CTLRS.

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.