Altitude deviation altitude crossing restr not met in departure procedure.

Attributes
ACN	246228
Time
Date	199307
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid enroute airway : zoa
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 14220
ASRS Report	246228
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On departure, first altitude restr -- maintain 5000 ft. Departure control then assigned sjc VOR at 12000 ft. Switching to ZOA got clearance to 'climb to FL230, comply with SID restrs.' on rechk of SID, saw restr of 14000 ft or above 8 NM north of sjc VOR. We continued climb. First restr at VOR was misinterpreted to cross VOR at or above 12000 ft. Reached 12000 ft 10 NM south of sjc. Climbing through 14000 ft just south of sjc, ZOA asked our altitude and brought to our attention of 12000 ft restr at sjc. We asked center if we needed to stop, climb, but they replied no. This is a busy departure in a congested area. 12000 ft restr is at bottom of chart. Needs to be highlighted. This, coupled with the instructions to 'comply with restrs,' sets a trap.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT XING RESTR NOT MET IN DEP PROC.

Narrative: ON DEP, FIRST ALT RESTR -- MAINTAIN 5000 FT. DEP CTL THEN ASSIGNED SJC VOR AT 12000 FT. SWITCHING TO ZOA GOT CLRNC TO 'CLB TO FL230, COMPLY WITH SID RESTRS.' ON RECHK OF SID, SAW RESTR OF 14000 FT OR ABOVE 8 NM N OF SJC VOR. WE CONTINUED CLB. FIRST RESTR AT VOR WAS MISINTERPRETED TO CROSS VOR AT OR ABOVE 12000 FT. REACHED 12000 FT 10 NM S OF SJC. CLBING THROUGH 14000 FT JUST S OF SJC, ZOA ASKED OUR ALT AND BROUGHT TO OUR ATTN OF 12000 FT RESTR AT SJC. WE ASKED CTR IF WE NEEDED TO STOP, CLB, BUT THEY REPLIED NO. THIS IS A BUSY DEP IN A CONGESTED AREA. 12000 FT RESTR IS AT BOTTOM OF CHART. NEEDS TO BE HIGHLIGHTED. THIS, COUPLED WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS TO 'COMPLY WITH RESTRS,' SETS A TRAP.

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.