Narrative:

Departed kpoc to the west, climbed to 1400 ft before making a left turn as cleared (130 degrees). At that point, we should have climbed to 4000 ft. We did not climb to 4000 ft until instructed to by departure. Contributing factors were unfamiliar with the field on a consistent basis. VMC with IFR just above 4000 ft focusing on first officer and outside for the tower and hill ahead. As soon as we cleared the terrain, I looked down to rechk the clearance at that time we were cleared on up to a higher altitude. The first officer had thought that we were to remain at 1400 ft until cleared later to a higher altitude. Supplemental information from acn 570059: I leveled off at 1400 ft momentarily as I turned to a heading of 130 degrees on the departure. The captain then advised me to continue climb to 4000 ft. At that time, ATC gave us instructions to climb to 16000 ft. Once we were established en route we discussed the departure and discovered I had briefed an initial altitude of 1400 ft and set 1400 ft in the altitude alerter rather than the 4000 ft given in the clearance, which was received by the captain. A very complicated departure for a jet aircraft, better suited for slower aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C560 CREW ON DEP PROC OFF KPOC INCORRECTLY LEVELED AT 1400 FT INSTEAD OF CONTINUING CLB AS SPECIFIED.

Narrative: DEPARTED KPOC TO THE W, CLIMBED TO 1400 FT BEFORE MAKING A L TURN AS CLRED (130 DEGS). AT THAT POINT, WE SHOULD HAVE CLBED TO 4000 FT. WE DID NOT CLB TO 4000 FT UNTIL INSTRUCTED TO BY DEP. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE FIELD ON A CONSISTENT BASIS. VMC WITH IFR JUST ABOVE 4000 FT FOCUSING ON FO AND OUTSIDE FOR THE TWR AND HILL AHEAD. AS SOON AS WE CLRED THE TERRAIN, I LOOKED DOWN TO RECHK THE CLRNC AT THAT TIME WE WERE CLRED ON UP TO A HIGHER ALT. THE FO HAD THOUGHT THAT WE WERE TO REMAIN AT 1400 FT UNTIL CLRED LATER TO A HIGHER ALT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 570059: I LEVELED OFF AT 1400 FT MOMENTARILY AS I TURNED TO A HDG OF 130 DEGS ON THE DEP. THE CAPT THEN ADVISED ME TO CONTINUE CLB TO 4000 FT. AT THAT TIME, ATC GAVE US INSTRUCTIONS TO CLB TO 16000 FT. ONCE WE WERE ESTABLISHED ENRTE WE DISCUSSED THE DEP AND DISCOVERED I HAD BRIEFED AN INITIAL ALT OF 1400 FT AND SET 1400 FT IN THE ALT ALERTER RATHER THAN THE 4000 FT GIVEN IN THE CLRNC, WHICH WAS RECEIVED BY THE CAPT. A VERY COMPLICATED DEP FOR A JET ACFT, BETTER SUITED FOR SLOWER ACFT.

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.