Air carrier using SID climbs above published altitude, penetrates VFR transition route.

Attributes
ACN	166512
Time
Date	199012
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	166512
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departure runway 8L from phoenix sky harbor using picah 3 departure tucson transition with tucson destination. Used standard quiet EPR departure procedures on picah 3 except used slightly higher quieter cpr thrust than recommended (1.60 EPR instead of 1/48 EPR) and began turn to 190 degree heading very slightly before 1 DME. According to ATC we still penetrated a VFR area but caused no conflict. Note: there is a minimum climb gradient of 325' per NM from 3000' to 7000'. In spite of a slightly early turn and the ability to conform to the climb required above 3000' our required good neighbor departure likely put us through the floor of the TCA east of the salt river VOR. The poorly written/explained pica 3 departure gives no warning of the catch 22 situation we were in. We followed the SID and still busted into VFR airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR USING SID CLIMBS ABOVE PUBLISHED ALT, PENETRATES VFR TRANSITION ROUTE.

Narrative: DEP RWY 8L FROM PHOENIX SKY HARBOR USING PICAH 3 DEP TUCSON TRANSITION WITH TUCSON DEST. USED STANDARD QUIET EPR DEP PROCS ON PICAH 3 EXCEPT USED SLIGHTLY HIGHER QUIETER CPR THRUST THAN RECOMMENDED (1.60 EPR INSTEAD OF 1/48 EPR) AND BEGAN TURN TO 190 DEG HDG VERY SLIGHTLY BEFORE 1 DME. ACCORDING TO ATC WE STILL PENETRATED A VFR AREA BUT CAUSED NO CONFLICT. NOTE: THERE IS A MINIMUM CLB GRADIENT OF 325' PER NM FROM 3000' TO 7000'. IN SPITE OF A SLIGHTLY EARLY TURN AND THE ABILITY TO CONFORM TO THE CLB REQUIRED ABOVE 3000' OUR REQUIRED GOOD NEIGHBOR DEP LIKELY PUT US THROUGH THE FLOOR OF THE TCA E OF THE SALT RIVER VOR. THE POORLY WRITTEN/EXPLAINED PICA 3 DEP GIVES NO WARNING OF THE CATCH 22 SITUATION WE WERE IN. WE FOLLOWED THE SID AND STILL BUSTED INTO VFR AIRSPACE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.