Narrative:

I received a clearance as follows: 'cleared via pomona 4 departure, climb and maintain 14000'.' it is clear to me that that means I must comply with the altitude restrictions on the SID. This type of clearance phraseology very easily draws one into the understanding that he is cleared direct to 14000', and if he misses the fine print of the SID, he will climb directly to 14000'. This explanation is not about who was right or wrong, it is about safety. With the advent of the SID, it has made it easy for ATC to give clrncs and pilots to file clearance. In so doing, you leave the safety of altitude interpretation to one person; i.e., 'what altitude should I be at' over what point? Point two: if you poll any group of pilots about SID's and altitude clrncs, you will find that 50% will give you a different answer, so there goes the safety check #2. I understood the clearance, 'via pomona 4, climb and maintain 14000',' but I didn't catch the 8000' restriction over pomona VOR written on the plate. The copilot thought we were cleared unrestricted to 14000'; i.e., the last altitude cleared to, 14000'. Safety check #3, ATC, caught it. Thank god it was early a.M. And traffic in the left.a. Basin is at its lowest because the ont departures are under the lax arrs. It is not my place to write the ATC clearance manual. I am sure all the ATC people were following the established procedures--but in conclusion, there must be a way to make pilots understand, though they are cleared to 14000', there is an intermediate altitude restriction in the SID they are flying in the original clearance received. The present way is a trap, open to interpretation, and if margins and restrictions are tight, a lightly loaded jet can bust an altitude very fast and cause a midair, which no one wants to see.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HVT ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT DURING SID OUT OF ONT.

Narrative: I RECEIVED A CLRNC AS FOLLOWS: 'CLRED VIA POMONA 4 DEP, CLB AND MAINTAIN 14000'.' IT IS CLR TO ME THAT THAT MEANS I MUST COMPLY WITH THE ALT RESTRICTIONS ON THE SID. THIS TYPE OF CLRNC PHRASEOLOGY VERY EASILY DRAWS ONE INTO THE UNDERSTANDING THAT HE IS CLRED DIRECT TO 14000', AND IF HE MISSES THE FINE PRINT OF THE SID, HE WILL CLB DIRECTLY TO 14000'. THIS EXPLANATION IS NOT ABOUT WHO WAS RIGHT OR WRONG, IT IS ABOUT SAFETY. WITH THE ADVENT OF THE SID, IT HAS MADE IT EASY FOR ATC TO GIVE CLRNCS AND PLTS TO FILE CLRNC. IN SO DOING, YOU LEAVE THE SAFETY OF ALT INTERP TO ONE PERSON; I.E., 'WHAT ALT SHOULD I BE AT' OVER WHAT POINT? POINT TWO: IF YOU POLL ANY GROUP OF PLTS ABOUT SID'S AND ALT CLRNCS, YOU WILL FIND THAT 50% WILL GIVE YOU A DIFFERENT ANSWER, SO THERE GOES THE SAFETY CHK #2. I UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC, 'VIA POMONA 4, CLB AND MAINTAIN 14000',' BUT I DIDN'T CATCH THE 8000' RESTRICTION OVER POMONA VOR WRITTEN ON THE PLATE. THE COPLT THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED UNRESTRICTED TO 14000'; I.E., THE LAST ALT CLRED TO, 14000'. SAFETY CHK #3, ATC, CAUGHT IT. THANK GOD IT WAS EARLY A.M. AND TFC IN THE L.A. BASIN IS AT ITS LOWEST BECAUSE THE ONT DEPS ARE UNDER THE LAX ARRS. IT IS NOT MY PLACE TO WRITE THE ATC CLRNC MANUAL. I AM SURE ALL THE ATC PEOPLE WERE FOLLOWING THE ESTABLISHED PROCS--BUT IN CONCLUSION, THERE MUST BE A WAY TO MAKE PLTS UNDERSTAND, THOUGH THEY ARE CLRED TO 14000', THERE IS AN INTERMEDIATE ALT RESTRICTION IN THE SID THEY ARE FLYING IN THE ORIGINAL CLRNC RECEIVED. THE PRESENT WAY IS A TRAP, OPEN TO INTERP, AND IF MARGINS AND RESTRICTIONS ARE TIGHT, A LIGHTLY LOADED JET CAN BUST AN ALT VERY FAST AND CAUSE A MIDAIR, WHICH NO ONE WANTS TO SEE.

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.