Narrative:

A C56X departed pittsburgh on the PIT8 departure. Aircraft called the wrong departure controller. I was working dn. The flight plan was pit..agc. The aircraft checked in with me 'level at 17' on the PIT8 heading XXX. I asked '17 hundred' the pilot verified the altitude. I instructed the aircraft to climb immediately to 5000 ft MSL to comply with the pit 8. I didn't have the strip in my hand. It was at the ds position; since this was the position the aircraft should have called. The aircraft was requesting only 3000 ft MSL. The low altitude alert was activating at the time due to the C56X proximity to towers south and southwest of the airport between 1600 ft MSL and 1800 ft MSL. This is not the first time this has happened. There are several pilots misreading the SID/departure for both frequencys and more important the altitude. The day before this a learjet did the same thing to another controller. It seems to mainly be GA or fractional pilots. There may be a problem with the commercial chart format. There is a known problem with the wording that many here at pit are trying to change. We have gone through several versions of the SID/departure with the number changing with the chart revision. The only safe thing to do would be quit using the PIT8. There are several problems that this may cause with pre departure clearance aircraft; etc. Incidentally while I was reviewing the tape of this incident; a BE20 departed and stated 'nxxxx out of 2200 for 17 thousand.' I had thought I heard this when working; but as normal I restated 'maintain 4000' due to the fact there was traffic crossing. We need to fix this; and soon.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIT TRACON CTLR VOICED CONCERN REFERENCE PIT8 SID FORMAT AND LACK OF PLT COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROC.

Narrative: A C56X DEPARTED PITTSBURGH ON THE PIT8 DEP. ACFT CALLED THE WRONG DEP CTLR. I WAS WORKING DN. THE FLT PLAN WAS PIT..AGC. THE ACFT CHKED IN WITH ME 'LEVEL AT 17' ON THE PIT8 HDG XXX. I ASKED '17 HUNDRED' THE PLT VERIFIED THE ALT. I INSTRUCTED THE ACFT TO CLB IMMEDIATELY TO 5000 FT MSL TO COMPLY WITH THE PIT 8. I DIDN'T HAVE THE STRIP IN MY HAND. IT WAS AT THE DS POS; SINCE THIS WAS THE POS THE ACFT SHOULD HAVE CALLED. THE ACFT WAS REQUESTING ONLY 3000 FT MSL. THE LOW ALT ALERT WAS ACTIVATING AT THE TIME DUE TO THE C56X PROX TO TOWERS S AND SW OF THE ARPT BTWN 1600 FT MSL AND 1800 FT MSL. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THERE ARE SEVERAL PLTS MISREADING THE SID/DEP FOR BOTH FREQS AND MORE IMPORTANT THE ALT. THE DAY BEFORE THIS A LEARJET DID THE SAME THING TO ANOTHER CTLR. IT SEEMS TO MAINLY BE GA OR FRACTIONAL PLTS. THERE MAY BE A PROB WITH THE COMMERCIAL CHART FORMAT. THERE IS A KNOWN PROB WITH THE WORDING THAT MANY HERE AT PIT ARE TRYING TO CHANGE. WE HAVE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL VERSIONS OF THE SID/DEP WITH THE NUMBER CHANGING WITH THE CHART REVISION. THE ONLY SAFE THING TO DO WOULD BE QUIT USING THE PIT8. THERE ARE SEVERAL PROBS THAT THIS MAY CAUSE WITH PDC ACFT; ETC. INCIDENTALLY WHILE I WAS REVIEWING THE TAPE OF THIS INCIDENT; A BE20 DEPARTED AND STATED 'NXXXX OUT OF 2200 FOR 17 THOUSAND.' I HAD THOUGHT I HEARD THIS WHEN WORKING; BUT AS NORMAL I RESTATED 'MAINTAIN 4000' DUE TO THE FACT THERE WAS TFC XING. WE NEED TO FIX THIS; AND SOON.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.