Narrative:

Man, united kingdom, departure tla 3R. Clearance del specifies only what departure to fly, west/O offering an altitude. Word description of TLA3R has a first altitude point 'at or above 2500',' a second crossing point 'at 4000',' and the final altitude/point to maintain 6000'. At departure time, tower cleared our flight onto runway behind another flight, also on runway at intersection ahead. As soon as other flight had cleared runway on takeoff, he was given a right turn (direction of SID). We were told to take off immediately to maintain runway heading. While climbing runway heading, and expecting radar vectors on course to avoid traffic, tower called and told us to turn right, intercept SID and call departure. We called departure ('climbing FL60') and were immediately cleared to FL140. However, departure control called back to note that initial SID altitude is 4000'. We cannot recall what altitude we were passing when we received 14000', nor did departure imply any problem except for our radio call ('climbing FL60'), but considering climb performance capabilities of this aircraft, plus the initial clearance that deleted the SID routing. We believe this style of clearance causes confusion about intent. Only one 'hard' altitude on SID should avoid this problem.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB NON ADHERENCE TO PUBLISHED SID. ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT CROSSING RESTRICTION NOT MET.

Narrative: MAN, UNITED KINGDOM, DEP TLA 3R. CLRNC DEL SPECIFIES ONLY WHAT DEP TO FLY, W/O OFFERING AN ALT. WORD DESCRIPTION OF TLA3R HAS A FIRST ALT POINT 'AT OR ABOVE 2500',' A SECOND XING POINT 'AT 4000',' AND THE FINAL ALT/POINT TO MAINTAIN 6000'. AT DEP TIME, TWR CLRED OUR FLT ONTO RWY BEHIND ANOTHER FLT, ALSO ON RWY AT INTXN AHEAD. AS SOON AS OTHER FLT HAD CLRED RWY ON TKOF, HE WAS GIVEN A RIGHT TURN (DIRECTION OF SID). WE WERE TOLD TO TAKE OFF IMMEDIATELY TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG. WHILE CLBING RWY HDG, AND EXPECTING RADAR VECTORS ON COURSE TO AVOID TFC, TWR CALLED AND TOLD US TO TURN RIGHT, INTERCEPT SID AND CALL DEP. WE CALLED DEP ('CLBING FL60') AND WERE IMMEDIATELY CLRED TO FL140. HOWEVER, DEP CTL CALLED BACK TO NOTE THAT INITIAL SID ALT IS 4000'. WE CANNOT RECALL WHAT ALT WE WERE PASSING WHEN WE RECEIVED 14000', NOR DID DEP IMPLY ANY PROB EXCEPT FOR OUR RADIO CALL ('CLBING FL60'), BUT CONSIDERING CLB PERFORMANCE CAPABILITIES OF THIS ACFT, PLUS THE INITIAL CLRNC THAT DELETED THE SID ROUTING. WE BELIEVE THIS STYLE OF CLRNC CAUSES CONFUSION ABOUT INTENT. ONLY ONE 'HARD' ALT ON SID SHOULD AVOID THIS PROB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.