Narrative:

We were following the published departure when at about 2500 ft, departure told us to continue on a heading of 250 degrees and not the published heading of 220 degrees. They also said to watch for air carrier traffic straight ahead. At this point we as a crew were unsure if we had been given a higher altitude (which we normally do receive). We went to 3600 ft then immediately corrected to assigned altitude of 3000 ft. We never were certain as a crew what the clearance was, as we discussed it afterward. We think the traffic call occurring so close after takeoff caught us off guard. Supplemental information from acn 329340: captain flying and approaching 3000 ft and smo 160 degree radial where a turn was to be made. There was a lot of confusing ATC verbal communication concerning traffic that departed ahead of us from runway 24L. I thought we were cleared to 13000 ft. The altitude was not set in altitude window. As smo 160 degree radial came I noticed altitude was not set. I contribute visual requirements of crew while on IFR flight plan as contributing factors.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE DEPARTING ON LAXX 2 SID, A DC10 FLC THOUGHT THEY MIGHT HAVE OVERSHOT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT. THIS OCCURRED WHEN THE DEP CTLR ISSUED A HDG ASSIGNMENT AND TFC AHEAD. THE FLC WAS UNCERTAIN IF THEY HAD RECEIVED A HIGHER ALT ASSIGNMENT AND RETURNED TO THE ALT SET IN THE ALT WINDOW.

Narrative: WE WERE FOLLOWING THE PUBLISHED DEP WHEN AT ABOUT 2500 FT, DEP TOLD US TO CONTINUE ON A HDG OF 250 DEGS AND NOT THE PUBLISHED HDG OF 220 DEGS. THEY ALSO SAID TO WATCH FOR ACR TFC STRAIGHT AHEAD. AT THIS POINT WE AS A CREW WERE UNSURE IF WE HAD BEEN GIVEN A HIGHER ALT (WHICH WE NORMALLY DO RECEIVE). WE WENT TO 3600 FT THEN IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED TO ASSIGNED ALT OF 3000 FT. WE NEVER WERE CERTAIN AS A CREW WHAT THE CLRNC WAS, AS WE DISCUSSED IT AFTERWARD. WE THINK THE TFC CALL OCCURRING SO CLOSE AFTER TKOF CAUGHT US OFF GUARD. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 329340: CAPT FLYING AND APCHING 3000 FT AND SMO 160 DEG RADIAL WHERE A TURN WAS TO BE MADE. THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSING ATC VERBAL COM CONCERNING TFC THAT DEPARTED AHEAD OF US FROM RWY 24L. I THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED TO 13000 FT. THE ALT WAS NOT SET IN ALT WINDOW. AS SMO 160 DEG RADIAL CAME I NOTICED ALT WAS NOT SET. I CONTRIBUTE VISUAL REQUIREMENTS OF CREW WHILE ON IFR FLT PLAN AS CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

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.