Air carrier less than standard separation during climbout from fpo.

Attributes
ACN	141379
Time
Date	199003
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fpo
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma tracon : fpo
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	141379
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Error Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Flight from freeport to mia. During taxiout and to end of runway for takeoff we had 4 changes to altitude clearance. The last was clearance to 10000' to cross munro intersection at 8000' (269[?], 17 DME, fpo VOR). Departure runway was runway 24, with heavy WX on arwy and between fpo and mia. After takeoff we were cleared for right on course. We could not comply due to WX and requested left turn to southwest with a later turn to west. This was approved by fpo departure. With all the diversions we were never going to get munro intersection, so after 17 DME I felt we were cleared to 10000'. Both the copilot and I can't remember fpo telling us to maintain 8000' in the deviations. With the turn to west fpo turned us over to ZMA and we reported climbing to 10000'. He was surprised (talked to ZMA on phone a day later and their tapes of clearance to fpo said, 'cleared to divert,' but to maintain 8000') and turned us north due to traffic at 9000'. We were told the alarm had sounded and a report would be made. My thoughts on the problem are this, after talking to ZMA on the phone later: the original clearance should have to maintain 8000' and expect 10000'. Also in heavy WX with possible WX diversions, we should be turned over to ZMA sooner. All diversion requests to fpo are relayed to mia and mia relays back to fpo to call us to ok deviation. I really think fpo in this bad WX condition and many aircraft requesting diversions was a little overloaded.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION DURING CLIMBOUT FROM FPO.

Narrative: FLT FROM FREEPORT TO MIA. DURING TAXIOUT AND TO END OF RWY FOR TKOF WE HAD 4 CHANGES TO ALT CLRNC. THE LAST WAS CLRNC TO 10000' TO CROSS MUNRO INTXN AT 8000' (269[?], 17 DME, FPO VOR). DEP RWY WAS RWY 24, WITH HVY WX ON ARWY AND BTWN FPO AND MIA. AFTER TKOF WE WERE CLRED FOR RIGHT ON COURSE. WE COULD NOT COMPLY DUE TO WX AND REQUESTED LEFT TURN TO SW WITH A LATER TURN TO W. THIS WAS APPROVED BY FPO DEP. WITH ALL THE DIVERSIONS WE WERE NEVER GOING TO GET MUNRO INTXN, SO AFTER 17 DME I FELT WE WERE CLRED TO 10000'. BOTH THE COPLT AND I CAN'T REMEMBER FPO TELLING US TO MAINTAIN 8000' IN THE DEVIATIONS. WITH THE TURN TO W FPO TURNED US OVER TO ZMA AND WE RPTED CLBING TO 10000'. HE WAS SURPRISED (TALKED TO ZMA ON PHONE A DAY LATER AND THEIR TAPES OF CLRNC TO FPO SAID, 'CLRED TO DIVERT,' BUT TO MAINTAIN 8000') AND TURNED US N DUE TO TFC AT 9000'. WE WERE TOLD THE ALARM HAD SOUNDED AND A RPT WOULD BE MADE. MY THOUGHTS ON THE PROB ARE THIS, AFTER TALKING TO ZMA ON THE PHONE LATER: THE ORIGINAL CLRNC SHOULD HAVE TO MAINTAIN 8000' AND EXPECT 10000'. ALSO IN HEAVY WX WITH POSSIBLE WX DIVERSIONS, WE SHOULD BE TURNED OVER TO ZMA SOONER. ALL DIVERSION REQUESTS TO FPO ARE RELAYED TO MIA AND MIA RELAYS BACK TO FPO TO CALL US TO OK DEVIATION. I REALLY THINK FPO IN THIS BAD WX CONDITION AND MANY ACFT REQUESTING DIVERSIONS WAS A LITTLE OVERLOADED.

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.