Narrative:

An IFR flight plan was filed and an instrument departure procedure was assigned. The departure procedure assigned was the sunol 4 with a manteca transition. I failed to read the procedure adequately, particularly the 385 ft per NM minimum climb to 3000 ft. At the airspeed at which I was climbing, the climb would have needed to be 800 FPM. My climb rate at less than gross weight and almost sea level was less than 800 FPM. The controller warned that my climb had been insufficient to meet the MVA in my area and asked if I could maintain my own terrain separation. I acknowledged that I could. Nevertheless, I was assigned a departure procedure that I accepted and flew, that was not possible for the airplane to perform. I should have: 1) realized there was a minimum climb gradient required by reading the SID more closely. 2) checked the rate of climb table and realized this would require 800 FPM at a climb of 120 KTS. 3) not assume that, since I was at sea level and less than gross weight, any climb required would not be a problem. Next time I am assigned a SID I will read it more thoroughly and verify that the aircraft is able to perform adequately.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C404 PLT RPTS THAT HE ACCEPTED A SID WITH WHICH HE COULD NOT COMPLY BECAUSE OF HIS ACFT'S LIMITED PERFORMANCE. ERROR ADMITTED. DESIGNATED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Narrative: AN IFR FLT PLAN WAS FILED AND AN INST DEP PROC WAS ASSIGNED. THE DEP PROC ASSIGNED WAS THE SUNOL 4 WITH A MANTECA TRANSITION. I FAILED TO READ THE PROC ADEQUATELY, PARTICULARLY THE 385 FT PER NM MINIMUM CLB TO 3000 FT. AT THE AIRSPD AT WHICH I WAS CLBING, THE CLB WOULD HAVE NEEDED TO BE 800 FPM. MY CLB RATE AT LESS THAN GROSS WT AND ALMOST SEA LEVEL WAS LESS THAN 800 FPM. THE CTLR WARNED THAT MY CLB HAD BEEN INSUFFICIENT TO MEET THE MVA IN MY AREA AND ASKED IF I COULD MAINTAIN MY OWN TERRAIN SEPARATION. I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT I COULD. NEVERTHELESS, I WAS ASSIGNED A DEP PROC THAT I ACCEPTED AND FLEW, THAT WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR THE AIRPLANE TO PERFORM. I SHOULD HAVE: 1) REALIZED THERE WAS A MINIMUM CLB GRADIENT REQUIRED BY READING THE SID MORE CLOSELY. 2) CHKED THE RATE OF CLB TABLE AND REALIZED THIS WOULD REQUIRE 800 FPM AT A CLB OF 120 KTS. 3) NOT ASSUME THAT, SINCE I WAS AT SEA LEVEL AND LESS THAN GROSS WT, ANY CLB REQUIRED WOULD NOT BE A PROB. NEXT TIME I AM ASSIGNED A SID I WILL READ IT MORE THOROUGHLY AND VERIFY THAT THE ACFT IS ABLE TO PERFORM ADEQUATELY.

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.