ALT DEV; ALT EXCURSION ON THE TEB 5 DEP PROC WHEN A C560 FLT CREW LEAVES THE ASSIGNED ALT PREMATURELY PRIOR TO THE 4.5 DME OF TEB.

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DEPARTED TEB; NJ; RWY 24 VIA THE TEB 5 DEP. A CLB TO 1500 FT WAS INITIATED AND AT 1500 FT A TURN TO 280 DEGS WAS COMMENCED. HDG 280 DEGS AND 4.3 DME OFF TEB I STARTED TO CLB TO THE NEXT PRESELECTED ALT OF 2000 FT. THE CLB WAS STARTED 0.2 MILES EARLY; INSTEAD OF AT THE PRESCRIBED 4.5 DME. NY CTR QUERIED OUR ALT AND WE RESPONDED WITH 1800 FT; AT THIS TIME I REALIZED THE EARLY DEV; LEVELED OFF AT 1800 FT AND WAS ABOUT TO DSND. THE CTLR LET US KNOW OF OUR DEV; WHICH WE ACKNOWLEDGED; AT THIS POINT WE WERE BEYOND THE TEB 4.5 DME; THE CTLR TOLD US THAT OUR DEV WAS NOT A PROB; AND ISSUED A CLB TO 4000 FT; WHICH WE COMPLIED WITH. THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT/TFC INVOLVED; AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. IN RETROSPECT; I WOULD NOT INSTRUCT THE PNF TO SET THE NEXT ALT UNTIL WE ARE AT THE FIX TO INITIATE THE CLB PHASE OF THE DEP PROC. THE DUTY DAY STARTED AT XA15. AT THE TIME OF THIS OCCURRENCE; I WAS 11 HRS AND 5 MINS INTO THE DAY; WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR INTO CALLING FOR THE ALT SELECT TO BE CHANGED PREMATURELY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 627935: BY THE TIME I GOT A BREAK IN RADIO TFC; I CHKED ON 'OUT OF 1800 FT FOR 2000 FT.' THE CTLR CAME BACK AND SAID 'YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AT 1500 FT BUT THERE WAS NO TFC AND IT'S NOT A PROB.' I FEEL BETTER CREW COORD COULD HAVE BEEN DONE TO ENSURE WE DID NOT CLB EARLY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS; I BELIEVE; WAS A XA00 START TO THE DUTY DAY FOR BOTH CREW MEMBERS.