Narrative:

We were cleared for the teb 5 departure. The active runway was runway 24. Myself and the other pilot are both part 135 qualified capts in the citation 500 series. I have personally flown this procedure at least 100 times. Unfortunately, the age old enemy of pilots, complacency won a small victory this time. I was the PNF, in the right seat for this leg. Prior to takeoff, we briefed the departure procedure. For runway 24 'climb runway heading until reaching 1500 ft,' then turn right heading 280 degrees, maintain 1500 ft until passing 'teb 4.5 DME, then climb and maintain 2000 ft.' then expect radar vectors to assigned fix. It's not particularly complicated, but the pilots do have to stay on their toes. We were directed into the up block and after approximately 10 mins we were #1 at the hold short. We rebriefed the departure and took off. At 1500 ft I called out the altitude and set the heading bug to 280 degrees. I then made initial contact with new york departure. At approximately 2.5 DME I set the altitude alerter to 2000 ft -- this was too early. The PF began a climb to 2000 ft. At 1800 ft I thought something seemed strange and realized what I had done and reported it to the PF. The DME was between 3.0 - 3.5. New york approach called and asked our altitude. I reported 2000 ft and got a short, stern lecture on departure procedures. Luckily no traffic conflicts came out of this altitude excursion. It shows that even an experienced crew can allow complacency to set in and set in motion the chain of events that can lead to an incident. In a high tempo environment, crews have to stay alert, follow procedures, and communicate with each other. Supplemental information from acn 612737: on departure, I had 1500 ft in the altitude alerter. After takeoff, for some reason my first officer put 2000 ft into the alerter and upon seeing this, I continued the climb without double checking the DME readout.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF C560 FAIL TO STOP CLB AT 1500 FT ON TEB DEP.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR THE TEB 5 DEP. THE ACTIVE RWY WAS RWY 24. MYSELF AND THE OTHER PLT ARE BOTH PART 135 QUALIFIED CAPTS IN THE CITATION 500 SERIES. I HAVE PERSONALLY FLOWN THIS PROC AT LEAST 100 TIMES. UNFORTUNATELY, THE AGE OLD ENEMY OF PLTS, COMPLACENCY WON A SMALL VICTORY THIS TIME. I WAS THE PNF, IN THE R SEAT FOR THIS LEG. PRIOR TO TKOF, WE BRIEFED THE DEP PROC. FOR RWY 24 'CLB RWY HDG UNTIL REACHING 1500 FT,' THEN TURN R HDG 280 DEGS, MAINTAIN 1500 FT UNTIL PASSING 'TEB 4.5 DME, THEN CLB AND MAINTAIN 2000 FT.' THEN EXPECT RADAR VECTORS TO ASSIGNED FIX. IT'S NOT PARTICULARLY COMPLICATED, BUT THE PLTS DO HAVE TO STAY ON THEIR TOES. WE WERE DIRECTED INTO THE UP BLOCK AND AFTER APPROX 10 MINS WE WERE #1 AT THE HOLD SHORT. WE REBRIEFED THE DEP AND TOOK OFF. AT 1500 FT I CALLED OUT THE ALT AND SET THE HDG BUG TO 280 DEGS. I THEN MADE INITIAL CONTACT WITH NEW YORK DEP. AT APPROX 2.5 DME I SET THE ALT ALERTER TO 2000 FT -- THIS WAS TOO EARLY. THE PF BEGAN A CLB TO 2000 FT. AT 1800 FT I THOUGHT SOMETHING SEEMED STRANGE AND REALIZED WHAT I HAD DONE AND RPTED IT TO THE PF. THE DME WAS BTWN 3.0 - 3.5. NEW YORK APCH CALLED AND ASKED OUR ALT. I RPTED 2000 FT AND GOT A SHORT, STERN LECTURE ON DEP PROCS. LUCKILY NO TFC CONFLICTS CAME OUT OF THIS ALT EXCURSION. IT SHOWS THAT EVEN AN EXPERIENCED CREW CAN ALLOW COMPLACENCY TO SET IN AND SET IN MOTION THE CHAIN OF EVENTS THAT CAN LEAD TO AN INCIDENT. IN A HIGH TEMPO ENVIRONMENT, CREWS HAVE TO STAY ALERT, FOLLOW PROCS, AND COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 612737: ON DEP, I HAD 1500 FT IN THE ALT ALERTER. AFTER TKOF, FOR SOME REASON MY FO PUT 2000 FT INTO THE ALERTER AND UPON SEEING THIS, I CONTINUED THE CLB WITHOUT DOUBLE CHKING THE DME READOUT.

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.