B737-700 crew was issued the cowby RNAV one SID. The controller then told the crew they were cleared...

Attributes
ACN	600680
Time
Date	200311
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : roppr
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 8300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : cowboy
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 184 flight time total : 10460 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	600680
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 6500
ASRS Report	600681
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA ATC Human Performance Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : l30.tracon

Narrative:

Prior to departure, the captain and I reviewed the COWBY1-gup departure procedure, given in the clearance, in detail, discussed the restrs, LNAV/RNAV procedures, and the notes on the WX packet concerning altitudes at las. Departed las on the COWBY1-gup. Las departure cleared flight to FL190 unrestr after rbell, and prior to roppr. After roppr, departure cleared us to forge (not on departure procedure). I couldn't find forge on the SID or in the FMC and asked controller to clarify fix. Again cleared to forge (on the TRALR1 SID), and I still couldn't identify the fix. Before further clarification could be initiated, and passing 7000 ft in the climb to FL190, controller gave us a left turn to heading 140 degrees and maintain 8000 ft. The captain immediately reduced the power to idle, reduced the pitch and began the turn. The ensuing inertia caused the aircraft to climb to 8300 ft and the airspeed to accelerate to approximately 267 KIAS. Once aircraft parameters were reestablished on the heading of 140 degrees, 8000 ft, and 250 KIAS, the controller responded that he had cleared us to the wrong fix, followed by a clearance to cowby. However, when given an altitude to maintain with less than 1000 ft of warning, heading change, and my head in the cockpit looking for a fix not on the SID, this created the circumstances leading to the altitude/airspeed deviation. Even if I had not been head down in the cockpit, the captain could not have responded any quicker or more appropriately to prevent the deviation. Possibly the captain or I should have responded to the 8000 ft clearance with 'unable' while arresting the climb. The controllers should be, and I'm sure most are, aware of the rate of climb of our aircraft, and the inertia when climbing unrestr at low altitudes. With the multitude of sids/stars at las, I can understand a controller making this type of error. I do believe there are entirely too many procedures at las, and this in itself causes many of the violations/deviations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 CREW WAS ISSUED THE COWBY RNAV ONE SID. THE CTLR THEN TOLD THE CREW THEY WERE CLRED TO A WAYPOINT ON DIFFERENT RNAV SID. WHEN PASSING 7300 FT AT A HIGH RATE OF CLB, THE CTLR ISSUED MAINTAIN 8000 FT.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEP, THE CAPT AND I REVIEWED THE COWBY1-GUP DEP PROC, GIVEN IN THE CLRNC, IN DETAIL, DISCUSSED THE RESTRS, LNAV/RNAV PROCS, AND THE NOTES ON THE WX PACKET CONCERNING ALTS AT LAS. DEPARTED LAS ON THE COWBY1-GUP. LAS DEP CLRED FLT TO FL190 UNRESTR AFTER RBELL, AND PRIOR TO ROPPR. AFTER ROPPR, DEP CLRED US TO FORGE (NOT ON DEP PROC). I COULDN'T FIND FORGE ON THE SID OR IN THE FMC AND ASKED CTLR TO CLARIFY FIX. AGAIN CLRED TO FORGE (ON THE TRALR1 SID), AND I STILL COULDN'T IDENT THE FIX. BEFORE FURTHER CLARIFICATION COULD BE INITIATED, AND PASSING 7000 FT IN THE CLB TO FL190, CTLR GAVE US A L TURN TO HEADING 140 DEGS AND MAINTAIN 8000 FT. THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY REDUCED THE PWR TO IDLE, REDUCED THE PITCH AND BEGAN THE TURN. THE ENSUING INERTIA CAUSED THE ACFT TO CLB TO 8300 FT AND THE AIRSPD TO ACCELERATE TO APPROX 267 KIAS. ONCE ACFT PARAMETERS WERE REESTABLISHED ON THE HEADING OF 140 DEGS, 8000 FT, AND 250 KIAS, THE CTLR RESPONDED THAT HE HAD CLRED US TO THE WRONG FIX, FOLLOWED BY A CLRNC TO COWBY. HOWEVER, WHEN GIVEN AN ALT TO MAINTAIN WITH LESS THAN 1000 FT OF WARNING, HEADING CHANGE, AND MY HEAD IN THE COCKPIT LOOKING FOR A FIX NOT ON THE SID, THIS CREATED THE CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING TO THE ALT/AIRSPD DEV. EVEN IF I HAD NOT BEEN HEAD DOWN IN THE COCKPIT, THE CAPT COULD NOT HAVE RESPONDED ANY QUICKER OR MORE APPROPRIATELY TO PREVENT THE DEV. POSSIBLY THE CAPT OR I SHOULD HAVE RESPONDED TO THE 8000 FT CLRNC WITH 'UNABLE' WHILE ARRESTING THE CLB. THE CTLRS SHOULD BE, AND I'M SURE MOST ARE, AWARE OF THE RATE OF CLB OF OUR ACFT, AND THE INERTIA WHEN CLBING UNRESTR AT LOW ALTS. WITH THE MULTITUDE OF SIDS/STARS AT LAS, I CAN UNDERSTAND A CTLR MAKING THIS TYPE OF ERROR. I DO BELIEVE THERE ARE ENTIRELY TOO MANY PROCS AT LAS, AND THIS IN ITSELF CAUSES MANY OF THE VIOLATIONS/DEVS.

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.

B737-700 crew was issued the cowby RNAV one SID. The controller then told the crew they were cleared to a waypoint on different RNAV SID. When passing 7300 ft at a high rate of climb, the controller issued maintain 8000 ft.