Glf-4 captain had the flying first officer level the aircraft at 3000 ft with a modified noise abate...

Attributes
ACN	602603
Time
Date	200312
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vny.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a11.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Gulfstream IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 11100 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	602603
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : msaw atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Flight planned for early evening departure from vny. VFR conditions prevailed with strong northerly gusty surface winds exceeding 25 KTS. Noise sensitive airport, company 'recommends' appropriate noise limiting procedures. The first officer was assigned as PF for this leg. The takeoff briefing was typical, with added discussion about modifying the noise abatement profile for safety considerations given high terrain along the SID departure route and turbulence/windshear potential. We agreed a higher airspeed/power climb setting was appropriate consequently, and briefed the desired flight guidance selections. Our initial clearance was a climbing 90 degree left turn to 4000 ft AGL. Upon contacting departure control, the controller issued a northerly heading for SID vector, and further climb to 13000 ft AGL. He added a caution about the terrain clearance, at which point I observed the PF leveling the aircraft at 3000 ft AGL! I reminded the PF of the need to climb rapidly, but again observed some hesitation as the controller warned about the terrain a second time. I responded that we could maintain visual terrain clearance as the PF finally recommenced the climb profile. When time permitted, the first officer and I discussed the event. He admitted the modified procedure temporarily confused his vertical awareness, and relied too heavily on the automation for guidance. I suggested a remedial procedure in the event to revert to a lower level of automation or raw data as necessary to comply with appropriate clrncs/profiles.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GLF-4 CAPT HAD THE FLYING FO LEVEL THE ACFT AT 3000 FT WITH A MODIFIED NOISE ABATEMENT PROC. THERE WAS HIGH TERRAIN IN THE ACFT FLT PATH THAT WAS AT 3747 FT HIGH.

Narrative: FLT PLANNED FOR EARLY EVENING DEP FROM VNY. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED WITH STRONG NORTHERLY GUSTY SURFACE WINDS EXCEEDING 25 KTS. NOISE SENSITIVE ARPT, COMPANY 'RECOMMENDS' APPROPRIATE NOISE LIMITING PROCS. THE FO WAS ASSIGNED AS PF FOR THIS LEG. THE TKOF BRIEFING WAS TYPICAL, WITH ADDED DISCUSSION ABOUT MODIFYING THE NOISE ABATEMENT PROFILE FOR SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS GIVEN HIGH TERRAIN ALONG THE SID DEP RTE AND TURB/WINDSHEAR POTENTIAL. WE AGREED A HIGHER AIRSPD/PWR CLB SETTING WAS APPROPRIATE CONSEQUENTLY, AND BRIEFED THE DESIRED FLT GUIDANCE SELECTIONS. OUR INITIAL CLRNC WAS A CLBING 90 DEG L TURN TO 4000 FT AGL. UPON CONTACTING DEP CTL, THE CTLR ISSUED A NORTHERLY HDG FOR SID VECTOR, AND FURTHER CLB TO 13000 FT AGL. HE ADDED A CAUTION ABOUT THE TERRAIN CLRNC, AT WHICH POINT I OBSERVED THE PF LEVELING THE ACFT AT 3000 FT AGL! I REMINDED THE PF OF THE NEED TO CLB RAPIDLY, BUT AGAIN OBSERVED SOME HESITATION AS THE CTLR WARNED ABOUT THE TERRAIN A SECOND TIME. I RESPONDED THAT WE COULD MAINTAIN VISUAL TERRAIN CLRNC AS THE PF FINALLY RECOMMENCED THE CLB PROFILE. WHEN TIME PERMITTED, THE FO AND I DISCUSSED THE EVENT. HE ADMITTED THE MODIFIED PROC TEMPORARILY CONFUSED HIS VERT AWARENESS, AND RELIED TOO HEAVILY ON THE AUTOMATION FOR GUIDANCE. I SUGGESTED A REMEDIAL PROC IN THE EVENT TO REVERT TO A LOWER LEVEL OF AUTOMATION OR RAW DATA AS NECESSARY TO COMPLY WITH APPROPRIATE CLRNCS/PROFILES.

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.

Glf-4 captain had the flying first officer level the aircraft at 3000 ft with a modified noise abatement procedure. There was high terrain in the aircraft flight path that was at 3747 ft high.