C650 CREW HAD ALT EXCURSION IN ZMA CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative

I WAS THE PNF. CAPT; PIC; DEPARTED SRQ FOR A REPOS FOR A PASSAGE FLT OUT OF BCT. ON DEP; WE WERE VECTORED TO A 140 DEG HDG AND AN ALT OF 10000 FT. WE WERE FURTHER VECTORED TO 180 DEGS AND GIVEN A CLB TO FL180. OUR SOP CALLS FOR A CHKS AND BAL BTWN CREW MEMBERS; AS WELL AS READING BACK ALL RWY; HDG; AND ALT ASSIGNMENTS. MY FO WAS HAND FLYING. HIS CONCENTRATION MAY HAVE DIVERTED HIS ATTN SO THAT THE CONFUSION BTWN WHAT I THOUGHT I HEARD (A CLB TO FL180) WAS THE VECTOR HDG ONLY; AND PUTTING IT INTO THE ALT ALERTER SHOULD HAVE MET WITH A CHALLENGE IF IT WASN'T WHAT HE HEARD. WE SWITCHED OVER TO CTR; AND WERE UNABLE TO GET A RESPONSE FOR 3 ATTEMPTS. THE CTLR SEEMED TO BE FIXATED AND SATURATED. FINALLY; AT 163 DEG VECTOR; FL180; CTLR DIRECTED US TO STOP OUR CLB AT 16000 FT; TALKED TO TFC ABOVE AND BEHIND US; GAVE US AN IMMEDIATE TURN E; MAINTAIN 16000 FT. HAVING PASSED 16000 FT ON THE WAY FOR FL180; I HELPED THE FO RETURN TO THE ALT. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS TYPICAL. I WAS TRACKED DOWN VIA COMPANY TO CALL MIA WATCH SUPVR; WHICH I DID. HE SAID THERE WAS NO CLRNC TO FL180. I SAID I HEARD IT AND READ IT BACK. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 498191: ON A REPOS FLT FROM SARASOTA TO BOCA RATON; FL; I WAS THE PLT FLYING THE ACFT. WE WERE GIVEN A CALL FROM ATC AND I WAS CONCENTRATING ON FLYING THE ACFT WITHOUT THE USE OF THE AUTOPLT. THE PNF ENTERED AN ALT INTO THE ALT ALERTER OF FL180 AND I BEGAN A CLB TO FL180. 1/2 WAY BTWN 10000 FT AND FL180; WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER CTR AND WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN 16000 FT AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS TO CHK IN. WE WERE EVENTUALLY GIVEN A HDG TO AVOID TFC. BEING I WAS CONCENTRATING ON FLYING THE ACFT; I SHOULD HAVE VERIFIED THE ALT CHANGE WITH THE PNF OR ATC BEFORE I BEGAN MY CLB. IF I MYSELF DO NOT HEAR AN ALT CHANGE FROM ATC; I WILL CONFIRM IT WITH ATC.