Date: 201412
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: PIT.Airport, PA
Flight conditions: Marginal
Weather elements / visibility: 7
Light: Dusk
Aircraft: Citation V/Ultra/Encore (C560)
Operator: Corporate
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Ferry / Re-Positioning
Flight phase: Initial Climb
Airspace: Class B PIT
ATC / advisory: TRACON PIT
Aircraft component: Air/Ground Communication
Component problem: Improperly Operated
Reporter organization: Corporate
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Human factors: Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Troubleshooting; Workload
Second reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Not Flying
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Detector: Automation Air Traffic Control; Person Air Traffic Control; Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Contributing factors: Procedure; Aircraft
Primary problem: Procedure

Narrative: Took off RWY 14 dept via SID. On initial climb out SIC had radio malfunction and could not reach Dept Control. I took over the radios and was climbing to my initial altitude of 1700 when ATC asked me to climb right away to 3000 for altitude alert. It was a misunderstanding between the SIC and I on the altitude and the radio which we resolved right away to our next clearance of 5000 feet. The contributing factors were the radios malfunctioning of the radios on the SIC side.I took over the radios right away and climbed as soon as ATC advised. We reviewed the procedure and called ATC afterwards and had the clearance wording straightened out for future flights out of this airport. The radios have been taken care of and fixed.


Second narrative: Before takeoff on runway we were cleared via dept. The dept text reads climb to 1700 msl thence 5000 feet. After-takeoff radio 2 (co pilot) radios malfunctioned. Initially we were unsure and was going to ask dept if we were cleared to 5000. Once tower switched us over to dept I could not get a hold of them and my mic went completely mute. There was a brief moment of misunderstanding between the captain and I. We climbed out of 1000 and we initially had the wrong frequency on the departure; we had the north departure frequency. I heard the transmission and put in right away the correct frequency. Dept asked the captain if we were climbing and this seemed as we were not supposed to climb any higher than 1700 so he briefly stopped his climb. TRACON advised we climb to 3000 right away because of altitude alert. We climbed to 3 thousand then eventually up to 7 and we were notified to contact via telephone when we landed. When we landed the controller clarified it to us that we should have climbed to 5000 right away and the alert alerted them we were too low; approximately 1000 above the ground. The captain did make the decision to stay higher than assigned because he was worried about obstacles. The overall lesson and problem was that it was my mistake not reading the SID correctly but it made it more difficult of me not having the radios in order to clarify. We should have taken more time to review the SID before takeoff and make sure the radios completely are ready to go before takeoff.


Synopsis: CE-560 crew flew a departure without having thoroughly briefed the procedure. They level off early after believing they were only to climb to 1700 FT. PIT TRACON immediately advises them to climb to 3000 FT.