Narrative:

During preflight, attempted 3 times to get pre departure clearance unsuccessfully. While first officer was doing walkaround, captain called clearance delivery who immediately read clearance, copied on piece of paper with the WX. When first officer returned, I told him that I had copied clearance and briefly showed it to him, telling him we were cleared on mountain 2 departure. (Were cleared to 9000 ft but I didn't brief the first officer of this altitude.) we then discussed the departure as to flying sea VOR 158 degree radial, crossing 5 DME at 3000 ft or above and then left to 070 degree heading. 10000 ft was already set on MCP but neither of us questioned it. On departure briefing I said 158 degree radial to 5 DME, left 070 degrees, cross 5000 ft and 3000 ft or above, maintain 10000 ft. After takeoff we followed SID and shortly after rolling out on 070 degree heading we received a TA as we were climbing out of 9500 ft. A few seconds later we received an RA at 9700 ft telling us to descend and monitor vertical speed. An immediate descent was made to 9000 ft and departure control was advised. They replied to turn right to 090 degrees. RA was resolved and were cleared to 14000 ft and changed to center. Our altitude was never questioned by ATC. There were several contributing factors to this incident: 1) no pre departure clearance on ACARS for us to review on briefing. 2) no altitude spelled out on SID as at most airports. 3) single person copying and listening to clearance. 4) many distrs in cockpit prior to leaving gate, i.e., wrong fuel load, gsi -- disagreement with station on 1 less passenger than they had tickets. 5) ATC -- departure control never questioned our altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT DSNDED IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII COMMAND.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT, ATTEMPTED 3 TIMES TO GET PDC UNSUCCESSFULLY. WHILE FO WAS DOING WALKAROUND, CAPT CALLED CLRNC DELIVERY WHO IMMEDIATELY READ CLRNC, COPIED ON PIECE OF PAPER WITH THE WX. WHEN FO RETURNED, I TOLD HIM THAT I HAD COPIED CLRNC AND BRIEFLY SHOWED IT TO HIM, TELLING HIM WE WERE CLRED ON MOUNTAIN 2 DEP. (WERE CLRED TO 9000 FT BUT I DIDN'T BRIEF THE FO OF THIS ALT.) WE THEN DISCUSSED THE DEP AS TO FLYING SEA VOR 158 DEG RADIAL, XING 5 DME AT 3000 FT OR ABOVE AND THEN L TO 070 DEG HDG. 10000 FT WAS ALREADY SET ON MCP BUT NEITHER OF US QUESTIONED IT. ON DEP BRIEFING I SAID 158 DEG RADIAL TO 5 DME, L 070 DEGS, CROSS 5000 FT AND 3000 FT OR ABOVE, MAINTAIN 10000 FT. AFTER TKOF WE FOLLOWED SID AND SHORTLY AFTER ROLLING OUT ON 070 DEG HDG WE RECEIVED A TA AS WE WERE CLBING OUT OF 9500 FT. A FEW SECONDS LATER WE RECEIVED AN RA AT 9700 FT TELLING US TO DSND AND MONITOR VERT SPD. AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT WAS MADE TO 9000 FT AND DEP CTL WAS ADVISED. THEY REPLIED TO TURN R TO 090 DEGS. RA WAS RESOLVED AND WERE CLRED TO 14000 FT AND CHANGED TO CTR. OUR ALT WAS NEVER QUESTIONED BY ATC. THERE WERE SEVERAL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS INCIDENT: 1) NO PDC ON ACARS FOR US TO REVIEW ON BRIEFING. 2) NO ALT SPELLED OUT ON SID AS AT MOST ARPTS. 3) SINGLE PERSON COPYING AND LISTENING TO CLRNC. 4) MANY DISTRS IN COCKPIT PRIOR TO LEAVING GATE, I.E., WRONG FUEL LOAD, GSI -- DISAGREEMENT WITH STATION ON 1 LESS PAX THAN THEY HAD TICKETS. 5) ATC -- DEP CTL NEVER QUESTIONED OUR ALT.

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.