Narrative:

We received our ATC clearance from sna cpt via 'musel 5 departure maintain 5000' expect 70 in 10 mins' which is usual. I instructed the first officer to be alert for a possible amended altitude of 3000' from tower with takeoff clearance. Airport traffic was light and we taxied out to runway 19R sna and received our takeoff clearance promptly with no amended altitude. After takeoff, first officer flying, we were cleared to contact coast departure. I made the call 'company identification out of 900' climbing to 5000'.' departure acknowledged and said 'small aircraft traffic following the shoreline at 5000'.' I replied 'no contact.' at 3300' in climb departure said 'maintain 3000'.' I said we'd go back down. I then asked if that was the first time he had given us 3000' and he replied that we should have gotten it from tower. I said we had not. We were then given a heading of 055 degree and 5000'. There apparently was no conflict with the 5800' clearance as our maximum altitude was about 3400' until reclred to 5000' but with the strict and very unusual noise abatement climb at sna with a high workload, ATC should really be more consistent in the departure altitude assignment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG CLIMBING TO 5000' AS CLEARED IS ADVISED OF CROSSING VFR TRAFFIC AT 5000'. WITH TRAFFIC ADVISORY DEP CTLR SAYS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESTRICTED TO 3000' BY THE TWR PRIOR TO TKOF.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED OUR ATC CLRNC FROM SNA CPT VIA 'MUSEL 5 DEP MAINTAIN 5000' EXPECT 70 IN 10 MINS' WHICH IS USUAL. I INSTRUCTED THE F/O TO BE ALERT FOR A POSSIBLE AMENDED ALT OF 3000' FROM TWR WITH TKOF CLRNC. ARPT TFC WAS LIGHT AND WE TAXIED OUT TO RWY 19R SNA AND RECEIVED OUR TKOF CLRNC PROMPTLY WITH NO AMENDED ALT. AFTER TKOF, F/O FLYING, WE WERE CLRED TO CONTACT COAST DEP. I MADE THE CALL 'COMPANY ID OUT OF 900' CLBING TO 5000'.' DEP ACKNOWLEDGED AND SAID 'SMA TFC FOLLOWING THE SHORELINE AT 5000'.' I REPLIED 'NO CONTACT.' AT 3300' IN CLB DEP SAID 'MAINTAIN 3000'.' I SAID WE'D GO BACK DOWN. I THEN ASKED IF THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME HE HAD GIVEN US 3000' AND HE REPLIED THAT WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN IT FROM TWR. I SAID WE HAD NOT. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A HDG OF 055 DEG AND 5000'. THERE APPARENTLY WAS NO CONFLICT WITH THE 5800' CLRNC AS OUR MAX ALT WAS ABOUT 3400' UNTIL RECLRED TO 5000' BUT WITH THE STRICT AND VERY UNUSUAL NOISE ABATEMENT CLB AT SNA WITH A HIGH WORKLOAD, ATC SHOULD REALLY BE MORE CONSISTENT IN THE DEP ALT ASSIGNMENT.

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.