Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Flight Crew Commercial
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Undershoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Chart Or Publication; Human Factors; Procedure
Our ATC clearance given to us by TRI Ground was: As filed; [maintain] 3;000 FT; [expect] 13;000 FT in ten minutes; a departure frequency and a squawk. Holding short of Runway 23; our takeoff clearance by TRI Tower was: Fly runway heading; cleared for takeoff Runway 23. I read back the clearance as stated. After initial climb and level off at 3;000 FT MSL (1;500 FT AGL) Departure gave us a vector; a left turn. According to EGPWS the turn put the aircraft on a course for terrain depicted red. I asked the Captain if he would like me to request higher. ATC then advised our initial departure clearance was to 10;000 FT initially and to expect 13;000 FT in 10 minutes. We informed ATC that his clearance was not what we received; copied; and read back. We were then cleared to climb and maintain 10;000 FT; which we did. No EGPWS cautions or warnings were ever triggered and no other disruptions to flight occurred.The departure procedure for TRI airport on all runways is to fly runway heading to 3;000 FT and no turns below 3;700 FT. Even though we were in positive radar contact we should have not accepted a vector until we complied with the ODP.
Confusion reigned on departure when the CRJ-200 flight crew and Ground Control failed to agree as to their cleared altitude after takeoff from TRI.