Narrative:

Chain of events: las to smf. Received clearance of cleared to smf via the shead one departure with squawk. All RNAV pre-departure procedures were followed. The initial leveloff altitude of 7000 ft (restr at roppr) was set in the altitude window. WX at departure was reported 5000 ft broken, 6000 ft overcast, visibility 7 mi light rain. Departed runway 19L at las, takeoff was normal, LNAV engaged at 500 ft AGL, level change to maintain climb speed at 800 ft AGL, autoplt engaged at 1000 ft AGL, flaps retracted per masi directed speeds, entered IMC at 5000 ft, light turbulence, moderate rain, initial climb at 220 KIAS. Aircraft turned normally at fixix toward roppr. At approximately 3 mi past fixix (passing 6000 ft) autoplt acquired the 7000 ft leveloff altitude and started reducing pitch to capture 7000 ft (rate of climb approximately 2500 FPM). Accelerating through (230 KIAS) I started reducing power. At approximately 6500 ft, and simultaneously with the autoplt leveloff, we received a new clearance from departure 'climb and maintain FL190' PNF set FL190 into altitude window which negated the leveloff capability of the autoplt. We then heard in addition to the clearance 'comply with restrs' (all this happened within 5-10 seconds) when I heard the climb to FL190. I began to add power to continue the climb and I heard the comply with restrs part of the clearance passing approximately 7200 ft. I began a gentle nose over at approximately 7500 ft and aircraft reached 7800 ft before descending. All the while I was reducing power. (Rate of climb at 7200 ft was approximately 2300 FPM). As we were descending, PNF reset 7000 ft in altitude window. We crossed roppr at 7000 ft. We then continued climb to make subsequent restrs on the SID. The confusion and subsequent altitude deviation occurred because of the way the clearance was given, the timing of the new clearance (which occurred just prior to a critical leveloff point) and the normal procedures to set the altitude cleared to in the altitude window. In the future, I will not change the altitude window until the complete clearance is received and understood. I think a better way to issue this clearance would be (climb via the shead one departure except to maintain FL190). This would insure the importance of following the profile instead of just climbing out of the terminal area. It also would closely mirror the phraseology used during the arrs -- example ('descend to cross lyndsy at 12000 ft then descend per the lyndsy arrival').

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 REACT TO L30 CLB CLRNC WITHOUT WAITING FOR THE COMPLETED CLRNC RESULTING IN A XING RESTR VIOLATION.

Narrative: CHAIN OF EVENTS: LAS TO SMF. RECEIVED CLRNC OF CLRED TO SMF VIA THE SHEAD ONE DEP WITH SQUAWK. ALL RNAV PRE-DEP PROCS WERE FOLLOWED. THE INITIAL LEVELOFF ALT OF 7000 FT (RESTR AT ROPPR) WAS SET IN THE ALT WINDOW. WX AT DEP WAS RPTED 5000 FT BROKEN, 6000 FT OVCST, VISIBILITY 7 MI LIGHT RAIN. DEPARTED RWY 19L AT LAS, TKOF WAS NORMAL, LNAV ENGAGED AT 500 FT AGL, LEVEL CHANGE TO MAINTAIN CLB SPD AT 800 FT AGL, AUTOPLT ENGAGED AT 1000 FT AGL, FLAPS RETRACTED PER MASI DIRECTED SPDS, ENTERED IMC AT 5000 FT, LIGHT TURB, MODERATE RAIN, INITIAL CLB AT 220 KIAS. ACFT TURNED NORMALLY AT FIXIX TOWARD ROPPR. AT APPROX 3 MI PAST FIXIX (PASSING 6000 FT) AUTOPLT ACQUIRED THE 7000 FT LEVELOFF ALT AND STARTED REDUCING PITCH TO CAPTURE 7000 FT (RATE OF CLB APPROX 2500 FPM). ACCELERATING THROUGH (230 KIAS) I STARTED REDUCING PWR. AT APPROX 6500 FT, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE AUTOPLT LEVELOFF, WE RECEIVED A NEW CLRNC FROM DEP 'CLB AND MAINTAIN FL190' PNF SET FL190 INTO ALT WINDOW WHICH NEGATED THE LEVELOFF CAPABILITY OF THE AUTOPLT. WE THEN HEARD IN ADDITION TO THE CLRNC 'COMPLY WITH RESTRS' (ALL THIS HAPPENED WITHIN 5-10 SECONDS) WHEN I HEARD THE CLB TO FL190. I BEGAN TO ADD PWR TO CONTINUE THE CLB AND I HEARD THE COMPLY WITH RESTRS PART OF THE CLRNC PASSING APPROX 7200 FT. I BEGAN A GENTLE NOSE OVER AT APPROX 7500 FT AND ACFT REACHED 7800 FT BEFORE DSNDING. ALL THE WHILE I WAS REDUCING PWR. (RATE OF CLB AT 7200 FT WAS APPROX 2300 FPM). AS WE WERE DSNDING, PNF RESET 7000 FT IN ALT WINDOW. WE CROSSED ROPPR AT 7000 FT. WE THEN CONTINUED CLB TO MAKE SUBSEQUENT RESTRS ON THE SID. THE CONFUSION AND SUBSEQUENT ALTDEV OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE CLRNC WAS GIVEN, THE TIMING OF THE NEW CLRNC (WHICH OCCURRED JUST PRIOR TO A CRITICAL LEVELOFF POINT) AND THE NORMAL PROCS TO SET THE ALT CLRED TO IN THE ALT WINDOW. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL NOT CHANGE THE ALT WINDOW UNTIL THE COMPLETE CLRNC IS RECEIVED AND UNDERSTOOD. I THINK A BETTER WAY TO ISSUE THIS CLRNC WOULD BE (CLB VIA THE SHEAD ONE DEP EXCEPT TO MAINTAIN FL190). THIS WOULD INSURE THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING THE PROFILE INSTEAD OF JUST CLBING OUT OF THE TERMINAL AREA. IT ALSO WOULD CLOSELY MIRROR THE PHRASEOLOGY USED DURING THE ARRS -- EXAMPLE ('DSND TO CROSS LYNDSY AT 12000 FT THEN DSND PER THE LYNDSY ARR').

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.