Flight crew deviated from departure clearance when they overshot a climb restriction.

Attributes
ACN	241728
Time
Date	199305
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : tus
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 7000
ASRS Report	241728
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After takeoff at ewr runway 22R and climbing through 3500 ft, departure asked us what altitude we were cleared to. We told them '5000 ft' as published on the newark 4 departure. We then decided to look at our pre-departure clearance again and check for any altitude exception to the newark 4 departure which was 5000 ft. In the textual body of the pre-departure clearance was a 'M2500' after another exception of 'right 220 after 2 DME.' we felt that the abbreviation of 'maintain' to 'M' greatly affected our overlooking the 2500 ft exception to the ewr 4 departure altitude of 5000 ft. Both crew members felt that it was a very unsafe procedure to have a lower altitude level off only mentioned in an abbreviated pre-departure clearance in an already nonstandard departure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC DEVIATED FROM DEP CLRNC WHEN THEY OVERSHOT A CLB RESTRICTION.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF AT EWR RWY 22R AND CLBING THROUGH 3500 FT, DEP ASKED US WHAT ALT WE WERE CLRED TO. WE TOLD THEM '5000 FT' AS PUBLISHED ON THE NEWARK 4 DEP. WE THEN DECIDED TO LOOK AT OUR PRE-DEP CLRNC AGAIN AND CHK FOR ANY ALT EXCEPTION TO THE NEWARK 4 DEP WHICH WAS 5000 FT. IN THE TEXTUAL BODY OF THE PRE-DEP CLRNC WAS A 'M2500' AFTER ANOTHER EXCEPTION OF 'R 220 AFTER 2 DME.' WE FELT THAT THE ABBREVIATION OF 'MAINTAIN' TO 'M' GREATLY AFFECTED OUR OVERLOOKING THE 2500 FT EXCEPTION TO THE EWR 4 DEP ALT OF 5000 FT. BOTH CREW MEMBERS FELT THAT IT WAS A VERY UNSAFE PROC TO HAVE A LOWER ALT LEVEL OFF ONLY MENTIONED IN AN ABBREVIATED PRE-DEP CLRNC IN AN ALREADY NONSTANDARD DEP.

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.