Narrative:

After a normal takeoff was made (captain flying), sfo tower told us to contact bay departure control. The first officer immediately switched frequency and departure control said, 'maintain 3000', traffic at 10 O'clock, 4000', wbound.' at this point in the climb we were passing through 2200' MSL at at least 4000 FPM (a normal rate of climb for this light aircraft) on our way to FL230 as previously cleared. I immediately pushed the aircraft nose down and simultaneously reduced power to try to stop the climb at 3000', but was unsuccessful. The first officer notified departure control that we were at 3500' and descending to 3000'. Departure control stated, 'I don't know what the confusion is, I told you out of 2000' to maintain 3000'.' there was no confusion on our part--we were climbing to FL230 on a 350 degree heading as per our clearance. It is impossible to stop this climbing aircraft on a specific altitude with that short notice. Furthermore, the first officer stated that we were out of 2200' for FL230 on his initial contact. We were not yet on departure control frequency at 2000'! We broke out of the clouds at approximately 2500', saw the traffic and told departure control we had the traffic in sight. Neither aircraft had to make evasive maneuvers. We were then cleared to FL230, switched to ZOA and the flight continued to destination west/O further incident. I believe the cause of this situation was very little communication between sfo tower and bay departure control, plus a late handoff as a possible contributing factor. If a little advance warning was given to expect a lower altitude immediately after takeoff, this situation would not have occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LATE AMENDED CLRNC TO FAST CLIMBING MLG RESULTED IN ALT OVERSHOOT AND LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: AFTER A NORMAL TKOF WAS MADE (CAPT FLYING), SFO TWR TOLD US TO CONTACT BAY DEP CTL. THE F/O IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED FREQ AND DEP CTL SAID, 'MAINTAIN 3000', TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK, 4000', WBOUND.' AT THIS POINT IN THE CLB WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 2200' MSL AT AT LEAST 4000 FPM (A NORMAL RATE OF CLB FOR THIS LIGHT ACFT) ON OUR WAY TO FL230 AS PREVIOUSLY CLRED. I IMMEDIATELY PUSHED THE ACFT NOSE DOWN AND SIMULTANEOUSLY REDUCED PWR TO TRY TO STOP THE CLB AT 3000', BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE F/O NOTIFIED DEP CTL THAT WE WERE AT 3500' AND DSNDING TO 3000'. DEP CTL STATED, 'I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CONFUSION IS, I TOLD YOU OUT OF 2000' TO MAINTAIN 3000'.' THERE WAS NO CONFUSION ON OUR PART--WE WERE CLBING TO FL230 ON A 350 DEG HDG AS PER OUR CLRNC. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP THIS CLBING ACFT ON A SPECIFIC ALT WITH THAT SHORT NOTICE. FURTHERMORE, THE F/O STATED THAT WE WERE OUT OF 2200' FOR FL230 ON HIS INITIAL CONTACT. WE WERE NOT YET ON DEP CTL FREQ AT 2000'! WE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT APPROX 2500', SAW THE TFC AND TOLD DEP CTL WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT. NEITHER ACFT HAD TO MAKE EVASIVE MANEUVERS. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO FL230, SWITCHED TO ZOA AND THE FLT CONTINUED TO DEST W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE OF THIS SITUATION WAS VERY LITTLE COM BTWN SFO TWR AND BAY DEP CTL, PLUS A LATE HDOF AS A POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. IF A LITTLE ADVANCE WARNING WAS GIVEN TO EXPECT A LOWER ALT IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF, THIS SITUATION WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED.

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.