FLC MISUNDERSTANDS CLRNC AND CLBS TOWARD THEIR VFR CRUISE ALT BEFORE BEING RELIEVED FROM THEIR 4000 FT RESTR.

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IT'S AMAZING HOW ONE CAN THINK 'OH; THAT WON'T HAPPEN TO ME;' AND THEN IT INVARIABLY DOES. I AM A RELATIVELY LOW TIME; MORE INEXPERIENCED PLT; FLYING WITH A HIGH TIME; VERY EXPERIENCED CAPT. I MAKE A VERY CONSCIENTIOUS EFFORT NOT TO LET HIS EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE INTIMIDATE ME. IF I SEE A PROB OR A POTENTIALLY UNDESIRABLE SIT; I SAY SOMETHING EVEN AT THE RISK OF BEING WRONG. HOWEVER; IN THIS SIT I SAID NOTHING; SUCCUMBING TO A BUSY ENVIRONMENT AND DEFERRING TO THE EXPERIENCE; KNOWLEDGE AND CONFIDENCE OF THE CAPT. ON A VFR DEP OUT OF SJC WE WERE CLRED TO TURN R TO 040 DEGS; CLB AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT. THE TWR THEN AMENDED; AND SAID REMAIN ON RWY HEADING UNTIL ADVISED. I MADE THE TKOF WHILE THE CAPT WAS RUNNING THE RADIOS AND PERFORMING FO DUTIES; CHKLISTS; ALT SELECTS; ETC. THE TWR CLRED US TO TURN R TO 040 DEGS AND CONTACT DEP. AS WE MADE OUR R TURN WE CONTACTED DEP AND THEY ASKED US IF WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 040 DEGS. WE CONFIRMED THAT WE HAD. THEY CALLED OUT TFC; A SINGLE-ENG PIPER CLBING THROUGH 2500 FT. WE WERE AT ABOUT 2200 FT SO I ATTEMPTED TO EXPEDITE MY CLB. I FELT BUSY TRYING TO GET THE CLB RATE UP AND LOOKING FOR THE TFC THAT I DID NOT YET HAVE IN SIGHT. I RECALL HEARING ATC GIVING US A FREQ CHANGE AND CLRING US ON COURSE. THE CAPT WAS BUSY FLIPPING RADIOS; ZIPPING ON UP THE ALT SELECT AND REAFFIRMING 'OK WE ARE CLRED ON COURSE; I SET IN 3500 FT.' AND THIS IS WHERE IT HAPPENED. I THOUGHT; 'GEE I DIDN'T THINK WE WERE CLRED TO CLB BUT I MUST HAVE MISSED SOMETHING. HE SEEMED SO CONFIDENT.' AND SO I CLBED. AS WE CHKED IN WITH THE NEXT CTLR; HE ASKED US TO VERIFY OUR ALT AND THEN ASKED IF WE HAD BEEN CLRED ABOVE OUR PREVIOUS ALT RESTR. WE TOLD HIM WE THOUGHT WE HAD BUT IT APPEARED WE MISUNDERSTOOD. THE CAPT HAD HEARD 'CLB ON COURSE' INSTEAD OF CLRED ON COURSE. THERE WAS A B737 3-4 MI ABOUT 1000 FT FROM OUR ALT THAT THE CTLR GAVE US AS TFC. WHAT I LEARNED FROM THIS IS THAT IT IS NOT JUST A MATTER OF INTIMIDATION THAT CAUSES A MORE INEXPERIENCED PLT TO NOT SPEAK UP. OVER THE LAST FEW YRS I HAVE LEARNED A LOT FROM THIS CAPT. I HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESPECT FOR HIS KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES. HE IS HIGHLY REGARDED BY MANY PLTS AND PAX AS WELL AS THOSE AT OUR FSDO. HOWEVER; I NEED TO REALIZE THAT ANYONE; EVEN EXCELLENT PLTS CAN MAKE MISTAKES. I SHOULDN'T HAVE SO MUCH CONFIDENCE IN A PLT THAT I QUESTION MY OWN INTERPS OR MISGIVINGS. ONE LAST THING I LEARNED; EVEN IF I AM NOT WORKING THE RADIOS; I NEED TO PAY CLOSE ATTN TO WHAT IS SAID BY ATC AS OPPOSED TO RELYING ENTIRELY ON THE OTHER PLT. OTHERWISE; IT DEFEATS THE CHKS AND BALANCES PROVIDED BY A 2 PLT CREW.