Narrative:

We were cleared for takeoff via the teb 5 departure; runway 24; which required a climb to runway heading to 1500 ft MSL; then a turn to heading 280 degrees; maintaining 1500 ft until crossing the teb 4 NM DME. At that point; a climb to 2000 ft should have been initiated. Prior to departure; I programmed a 4 NM DME circle around teb to show on the mfd; and briefly mentioned it to the captain in the right seat. As the first officer at the controls; I hand-flew the departure until approximately 1350 ft MSL; and then engaged the autoplt; which had been armed in the heading and pitch modes. At approximately the same instant; and without my knowledge; the altitude preselect was set for 2000 ft by the captain. We climbed through 1500 ft MSL rather quickly; and I did not disengage the autoplt before we leveled at 2000 ft MSL. Quickly after leveling; the tower asked us why we were at 2000 ft; and the captain replied that we were past the 4 DME fix. He responded that we were 'nowhere near 4 DME;' and instructed us to 'look at the chart next time.' in hindsight; I think a better departure briefing could have been executed; and I think the captain could have told me that he was setting the next altitude. This would have given me the option to disagree and point out the 4 DME circle around teb VOR that I had programmed. There was not much time to execute a descent before we were queried on our altitude; and perhaps I should have descended during this time; but it happened very quickly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE400 FLT CREW CLBS TO 2000 FT PRIOR TO 4.5 DME ON THE TEB 5 OFF RWY 25 TO TEB.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR TAKEOFF VIA THE TEB 5 DEP; RWY 24; WHICH REQUIRED A CLB TO RWY HEADING TO 1500 FT MSL; THEN A TURN TO HEADING 280 DEGS; MAINTAINING 1500 FT UNTIL CROSSING THE TEB 4 NM DME. AT THAT POINT; A CLB TO 2000 FT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INITIATED. PRIOR TO DEP; I PROGRAMMED A 4 NM DME CIRCLE AROUND TEB TO SHOW ON THE MFD; AND BRIEFLY MENTIONED IT TO THE CAPT IN THE R SEAT. AS THE FO AT THE CONTROLS; I HAND-FLEW THE DEP UNTIL APPROX 1350 FT MSL; AND THEN ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT; WHICH HAD BEEN ARMED IN THE HEADING AND PITCH MODES. AT APPROX THE SAME INSTANT; AND WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE; THE ALT PRESELECT WAS SET FOR 2000 FT BY THE CAPT. WE CLBED THROUGH 1500 FT MSL RATHER QUICKLY; AND I DID NOT DISENGAGE THE AUTOPLT BEFORE WE LEVELED AT 2000 FT MSL. QUICKLY AFTER LEVELING; THE TWR ASKED US WHY WE WERE AT 2000 FT; AND THE CAPT REPLIED THAT WE WERE PAST THE 4 DME FIX. HE RESPONDED THAT WE WERE 'NOWHERE NEAR 4 DME;' AND INSTRUCTED US TO 'LOOK AT THE CHART NEXT TIME.' IN HINDSIGHT; I THINK A BETTER DEP BRIEFING COULD HAVE BEEN EXECUTED; AND I THINK THE CAPT COULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS SETTING THE NEXT ALT. THIS WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME THE OPTION TO DISAGREE AND POINT OUT THE 4 DME CIRCLE AROUND TEB VOR THAT I HAD PROGRAMMED. THERE WAS NOT MUCH TIME TO EXECUTE A DESCENT BEFORE WE WERE QUERIED ON OUR ALT; AND PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE DESCENDED DURING THIS TIME; BUT IT HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY.

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.