Narrative:

Departing burbank airport on the van nuys 7 departure daggett transition. After departure, we turned to a 210 degree heading and contacted departure (124.6 frequency). The controller gave us a vector for palmdale. After turning to the assigned heading we received several TCASII TA and RA alerts. These alerts (traffic, traffic, monitor vertical speed, climb) are very loud in our airplanes. While climbing out and trying to visually acquire the traffic, passing 6800 ft and climbing at about 4000 FPM). When the controller asked us about our altitude that made me look at the altitude in the mode control panel and it read 8200 ft. This confused me because our clearance altitude was 13000 ft. As I started to pitch the jet over to level it off, the controller told us to go ahead and continue our climb to 13000 ft. In discussion with the captain after, it became apparent what had happened. While the TCASII was giving us an alert the controller had asked us to level at 6000 ft, but I did not hear the command because of the TCASII. The captain did hear it but while he was in the process of putting 6000 in the window the TCASII 'climb' command distracted him and he got to 8200 ft. This was happening in a very short period of time, and because of the haze we did not visually acquire the traffic. Upon returning to burbank, the captain contacted the controller supervisor to discuss the problem. The controller had gone home. He did mention to his supervisor that we might be calling and there was no problem. Solutions: I believe the TCASII volume needs to be reduced, but beyond that, I believe there needs to be a review of TCASII procedures because when arriving and departing burbank, it is very rare not to get TA or RA and some people consider these bothersome and I have even heard rumors of people turning it off when they need it most. Supplemental information from acn 192148: the TCASII is just too loud! It totally dominates the entire cockpit when it gives warnings and should have a volume control or be toned down radically.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALTDEV OVERSHOT DURING CLB OUT FROM BUR.

Narrative: DEPARTING BURBANK ARPT ON THE VAN NUYS 7 DEP DAGGETT TRANSITION. AFTER DEP, WE TURNED TO A 210 DEG HDG AND CONTACTED DEP (124.6 FREQ). THE CTLR GAVE US A VECTOR FOR PALMDALE. AFTER TURNING TO THE ASSIGNED HDG WE RECEIVED SEVERAL TCASII TA AND RA ALERTS. THESE ALERTS (TFC, TFC, MONITOR VERT SPD, CLB) ARE VERY LOUD IN OUR AIRPLANES. WHILE CLBING OUT AND TRYING TO VISUALLY ACQUIRE THE TFC, PASSING 6800 FT AND CLBING AT ABOUT 4000 FPM). WHEN THE CTLR ASKED US ABOUT OUR ALT THAT MADE ME LOOK AT THE ALT IN THE MODE CTL PANEL AND IT READ 8200 FT. THIS CONFUSED ME BECAUSE OUR CLRNC ALT WAS 13000 FT. AS I STARTED TO PITCH THE JET OVER TO LEVEL IT OFF, THE CTLR TOLD US TO GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE OUR CLB TO 13000 FT. IN DISCUSSION WITH THE CAPT AFTER, IT BECAME APPARENT WHAT HAD HAPPENED. WHILE THE TCASII WAS GIVING US AN ALERT THE CTLR HAD ASKED US TO LEVEL AT 6000 FT, BUT I DID NOT HEAR THE COMMAND BECAUSE OF THE TCASII. THE CAPT DID HEAR IT BUT WHILE HE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING 6000 IN THE WINDOW THE TCASII 'CLB' COMMAND DISTRACTED HIM AND HE GOT TO 8200 FT. THIS WAS HAPPENING IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, AND BECAUSE OF THE HAZE WE DID NOT VISUALLY ACQUIRE THE TFC. UPON RETURNING TO BURBANK, THE CAPT CONTACTED THE CTLR SUPVR TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEM. THE CTLR HAD GONE HOME. HE DID MENTION TO HIS SUPVR THAT WE MIGHT BE CALLING AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. SOLUTIONS: I BELIEVE THE TCASII VOLUME NEEDS TO BE REDUCED, BUT BEYOND THAT, I BELIEVE THERE NEEDS TO BE A REVIEW OF TCASII PROCS BECAUSE WHEN ARRIVING AND DEPARTING BURBANK, IT IS VERY RARE NOT TO GET TA OR RA AND SOME PEOPLE CONSIDER THESE BOTHERSOME AND I HAVE EVEN HEARD RUMORS OF PEOPLE TURNING IT OFF WHEN THEY NEED IT MOST. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 192148: THE TCASII IS JUST TOO LOUD! IT TOTALLY DOMINATES THE ENTIRE COCKPIT WHEN IT GIVES WARNINGS AND SHOULD HAVE A VOLUME CTL OR BE TONED DOWN RADICALLY.

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.