Narrative:

Departed normally, on pomona 6 as filed, was cleared to 3000 ft, then cleared to 6000 ft, heavy traffic. Departure control, ontario, was very busy. We approached pomona VOR. Ontario departure had us at 6000 as we approached over pomona. I told the captain we cannot do the pomona 6 departure 294 degree radial outbound due to our altitude (mountains straight ahead). I took up a 260- 270 heading and asked captain to tell departure we need to climb. He called. No answer, then departure got busy (very busy and could not be reached until they called us and asked us what radial we were on). I feel due to safety of flight we could not turn towards mountains at 6000 ft without clearance to climb. MSA is 6800 ft. This situation was very uncomfortable and it was a very clear day, thus if it was in IMC conditions this would have been more of a problem. The captain did contact ontario departure when we arrived in oakland. Departure stated that he was way too busy to give us a higher altitude, or something to that effect. I feel adamant towards the fact that departure should have been more aware of our situation -- an air carrier at low altitude, with mountains raising 11000 ft to the north of us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TRACK HDG DEV ON SID OUT OF ONT.

Narrative: DEPARTED NORMALLY, ON POMONA 6 AS FILED, WAS CLRED TO 3000 FT, THEN CLRED TO 6000 FT, HVY TFC. DEP CTL, ONTARIO, WAS VERY BUSY. WE APCHED POMONA VOR. ONTARIO DEP HAD US AT 6000 AS WE APCHED OVER POMONA. I TOLD THE CAPT WE CANNOT DO THE POMONA 6 DEP 294 DEG RADIAL OUTBOUND DUE TO OUR ALT (MOUNTAINS STRAIGHT AHEAD). I TOOK UP A 260- 270 HDG AND ASKED CAPT TO TELL DEP WE NEED TO CLB. HE CALLED. NO ANSWER, THEN DEP GOT BUSY (VERY BUSY AND COULD NOT BE REACHED UNTIL THEY CALLED US AND ASKED US WHAT RADIAL WE WERE ON). I FEEL DUE TO SAFETY OF FLT WE COULD NOT TURN TOWARDS MOUNTAINS AT 6000 FT WITHOUT CLRNC TO CLB. MSA IS 6800 FT. THIS SITUATION WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND IT WAS A VERY CLR DAY, THUS IF IT WAS IN IMC CONDITIONS THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE OF A PROBLEM. THE CAPT DID CONTACT ONTARIO DEP WHEN WE ARRIVED IN OAKLAND. DEP STATED THAT HE WAS WAY TOO BUSY TO GIVE US A HIGHER ALT, OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. I FEEL ADAMANT TOWARDS THE FACT THAT DEP SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AWARE OF OUR SITUATION -- AN ACR AT LOW ALT, WITH MOUNTAINS RAISING 11000 FT TO THE N OF US.

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.