Narrative:

I was on the teb 5 departure procedure. I was in a climbing left turn from 1500 ft to 2000 ft direct the pnj beacon when I was given a vector of 270 degrees. At this time I believed that I was no longer flying the departure procedure due to the radar vector. The departure procedure says that after passing the pnj beacon you are to climb to 3000 ft. After receiving the vector I had no sure way of knowing when I was past the beacon; therefore I continued the climb to 3000 ft per the departure procedure's final altitude. I was never assigned an altitude and was not sure of what altitude to fly. There was not a time on the radio when I could have queried ATC about my altitude. Upon reaching 2700 ft ATC questioned me about my current altitude. I stated I was 2700 ft for 3000 ft and he said that I was supposed to be at 2000 ft. I believe this misconception could have been corrected had I been given an altitude when I was given the vector; or if I had asked for clarification upon receipt of the heading. Perhaps; 'nxxxx; fly heading 270 maintain 2000 ft.' instead of just being vectored off of the departure procedure with no assigned altitude. I should have asked ATC when I was assigned heading 270 degrees; but it did not occur to me until after I read back the assigned heading that I was unsure of what my altitude should be.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE58 PLT ON TEB 5 (1 & 6) CLBED TO 3000 FT AFTER RECEIPT OF A VECTOR HDG. ATC SAID HE SHOULD MAINTAIN 2000 FT TO PNJ.

Narrative: I WAS ON THE TEB 5 DEP PROC. I WAS IN A CLBING L TURN FROM 1500 FT TO 2000 FT DIRECT THE PNJ BEACON WHEN I WAS GIVEN A VECTOR OF 270 DEGS. AT THIS TIME I BELIEVED THAT I WAS NO LONGER FLYING THE DEP PROC DUE TO THE RADAR VECTOR. THE DEP PROC SAYS THAT AFTER PASSING THE PNJ BEACON YOU ARE TO CLB TO 3000 FT. AFTER RECEIVING THE VECTOR I HAD NO SURE WAY OF KNOWING WHEN I WAS PAST THE BEACON; THEREFORE I CONTINUED THE CLB TO 3000 FT PER THE DEP PROC'S FINAL ALT. I WAS NEVER ASSIGNED AN ALT AND WAS NOT SURE OF WHAT ALT TO FLY. THERE WAS NOT A TIME ON THE RADIO WHEN I COULD HAVE QUERIED ATC ABOUT MY ALT. UPON REACHING 2700 FT ATC QUESTIONED ME ABOUT MY CURRENT ALT. I STATED I WAS 2700 FT FOR 3000 FT AND HE SAID THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT 2000 FT. I BELIEVE THIS MISCONCEPTION COULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED HAD I BEEN GIVEN AN ALT WHEN I WAS GIVEN THE VECTOR; OR IF I HAD ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION UPON RECEIPT OF THE HEADING. PERHAPS; 'NXXXX; FLY HDG 270 MAINTAIN 2000 FT.' INSTEAD OF JUST BEING VECTORED OFF OF THE DEP PROC WITH NO ASSIGNED ALT. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED ATC WHEN I WAS ASSIGNED HDG 270 DEGS; BUT IT DID NOT OCCUR TO ME UNTIL AFTER I READ BACK THE ASSIGNED HDG THAT I WAS UNSURE OF WHAT MY ALT SHOULD BE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.