Narrative:

While setting up the aircraft; I received and copied our ATC clearance. ATC read the clearance as 'cleared to den tralr 2 dvc as filed; maintain 7000 ft; squawk XXXX.' for some reason; I did not copy the 7000 ft altitude limit. The cockpit was busy while we were also trying to comply with an MEL item. While briefing the departure; I thought it was strange we were not given an initial altitude; but found the FL190 altitude limit that is depicted on the tralr 2 departure. It appeared the captain thought this was odd; but again FL190 is the charted altitude. After departure; on initial contact; I reported leaving our current altitude for FL190. Departure control acknowledged with an affirmative. We met the climb restrs and through 12000 ft departure asked us if we were given 7000 ft from clearance. Since I didn't write down 7000 ft; I still thought that we were expected to go to FL190. I answered no. Departure control said we were not in trouble and we continued on. When switching to ZDV; we were asked to call las tower upon arrival in den. The flight continued uneventfully. Upon arriving in den; the captain called the tower. They informed him that I did indeed read back a clearance limit of 7000 ft. The ATC supervisor went on to inform us that the departure controller had noted our climbing to FL190; call but did not say anything because they wanted to see what you would do. It appears that the tower and the departure control are having some trouble coordinating the new RNAV procedures and we were used as some sort of test case. The captain asked if my error was going any further than this conversation; and the controller said no; that the conversation was informal and they just wanted to let us know what was going on. There was no separation loss throughout our circuit breaker. I cannot believe I made that mistake; but I did. I should have asked for a clarification from clearance when I initially thought that FL190 was not usually what we are assigned out of las vegas. I think I may have been distraction while copying the clearance due to an MEL fuel procedure the captain was performing (outboard fuel tank feed fault). I am new to the airplane and wanted to see what he was doing to comply with the MEL procedure. I believe I got distraction. I will now verify if I have any question as to what ATC is expecting of me. I know this is a basic premise in aviation; but this was a huge reminder to me of how important this is. Also; I will remember to concentrate on the task at hand while doing important items in the cockpit. Also; I am surprised that FL190 is depicted on the tralr 2 departure if we are always assigned 7000 ft. I am also surprised that departure knew of my error; but let us proceed on; but again ATC had us under radar control and separation was not lost.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 DEP FROM LAS MISSED INTERIM ALT ASSIGNMENT ON THE TRALR DEP.

Narrative: WHILE SETTING UP THE ACFT; I RECEIVED AND COPIED OUR ATC CLRNC. ATC READ THE CLRNC AS 'CLRED TO DEN TRALR 2 DVC AS FILED; MAINTAIN 7000 FT; SQUAWK XXXX.' FOR SOME REASON; I DID NOT COPY THE 7000 FT ALT LIMIT. THE COCKPIT WAS BUSY WHILE WE WERE ALSO TRYING TO COMPLY WITH AN MEL ITEM. WHILE BRIEFING THE DEP; I THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE WE WERE NOT GIVEN AN INITIAL ALT; BUT FOUND THE FL190 ALT LIMIT THAT IS DEPICTED ON THE TRALR 2 DEP. IT APPEARED THE CAPT THOUGHT THIS WAS ODD; BUT AGAIN FL190 IS THE CHARTED ALT. AFTER DEP; ON INITIAL CONTACT; I RPTED LEAVING OUR CURRENT ALT FOR FL190. DEP CTL ACKNOWLEDGED WITH AN AFFIRMATIVE. WE MET THE CLB RESTRS AND THROUGH 12000 FT DEP ASKED US IF WE WERE GIVEN 7000 FT FROM CLRNC. SINCE I DIDN'T WRITE DOWN 7000 FT; I STILL THOUGHT THAT WE WERE EXPECTED TO GO TO FL190. I ANSWERED NO. DEP CTL SAID WE WERE NOT IN TROUBLE AND WE CONTINUED ON. WHEN SWITCHING TO ZDV; WE WERE ASKED TO CALL LAS TWR UPON ARR IN DEN. THE FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY. UPON ARRIVING IN DEN; THE CAPT CALLED THE TWR. THEY INFORMED HIM THAT I DID INDEED READ BACK A CLRNC LIMIT OF 7000 FT. THE ATC SUPVR WENT ON TO INFORM US THAT THE DEP CTLR HAD NOTED OUR CLBING TO FL190; CALL BUT DID NOT SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO SEE WHAT YOU WOULD DO. IT APPEARS THAT THE TWR AND THE DEP CTL ARE HAVING SOME TROUBLE COORDINATING THE NEW RNAV PROCS AND WE WERE USED AS SOME SORT OF TEST CASE. THE CAPT ASKED IF MY ERROR WAS GOING ANY FURTHER THAN THIS CONVERSATION; AND THE CTLR SAID NO; THAT THE CONVERSATION WAS INFORMAL AND THEY JUST WANTED TO LET US KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON. THERE WAS NO SEPARATION LOSS THROUGHOUT OUR CB. I CANNOT BELIEVE I MADE THAT MISTAKE; BUT I DID. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR A CLARIFICATION FROM CLRNC WHEN I INITIALLY THOUGHT THAT FL190 WAS NOT USUALLY WHAT WE ARE ASSIGNED OUT OF LAS VEGAS. I THINK I MAY HAVE BEEN DISTR WHILE COPYING THE CLRNC DUE TO AN MEL FUEL PROC THE CAPT WAS PERFORMING (OUTBOARD FUEL TANK FEED FAULT). I AM NEW TO THE AIRPLANE AND WANTED TO SEE WHAT HE WAS DOING TO COMPLY WITH THE MEL PROC. I BELIEVE I GOT DISTR. I WILL NOW VERIFY IF I HAVE ANY QUESTION AS TO WHAT ATC IS EXPECTING OF ME. I KNOW THIS IS A BASIC PREMISE IN AVIATION; BUT THIS WAS A HUGE REMINDER TO ME OF HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS. ALSO; I WILL REMEMBER TO CONCENTRATE ON THE TASK AT HAND WHILE DOING IMPORTANT ITEMS IN THE COCKPIT. ALSO; I AM SURPRISED THAT FL190 IS DEPICTED ON THE TRALR 2 DEP IF WE ARE ALWAYS ASSIGNED 7000 FT. I AM ALSO SURPRISED THAT DEP KNEW OF MY ERROR; BUT LET US PROCEED ON; BUT AGAIN ATC HAD US UNDER RADAR CTL AND SEPARATION WAS NOT LOST.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.