Citation III; VI; VII (C650)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100; Flight Crew Total 8500; Flight Crew Type 135
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors; Procedure
I was cleared to fly the JAIKE3 arrival to MMU. According to the STAR; we were to cross FUBRR at 13;000; so we began to descend from FL240. The controller told me to level for now at FL200 saying that the STAR is intended to be used as to 'what to expect.' Somehow; there was a miscommunication and misunderstanding about when and where to descend on the STAR.
CE-560 Captain reported an altitude deviation resulted from misunderstanding an ATC clearance on arrival into MMU.