Narrative:

Initial clearance from clearance delivery: SHEAD4.oal RNAV departure; maintain 7000 ft. I was flying the SHEAD4.oal RNAV departure from runway 25R at las. After takeoff and upon initial contact with departure control; we were told to 'climb and maintain FL190; 250 KTS or less.' I flew the RNAV profile with the LNAV and autoplt engaged using vertical speed while maintaining 250 KIAS. Just prior to roppr the speed restr was deleted by departure control. The aircraft was climbing at approximately 2500-3000 ft vvi when we passed roppr between 8000-8500 ft MSL. About that time the TCAS RA sounded and commanded 'adjust vertical speed; adjust vertical speed.' the green arc e-vsi commanded a rate of 0-500 ft vvi. During this time I saw the lights of an aircraft at the 3-4 O'clock position. I began to reduce the vvi toward the green arc initially with the thumb wheel; then followed up with disengaging the vertical speed of the autoplt and pushed over the yoke to level flight when a second 'adjust vertical speed; adjust vertical speed' TCAS sounded. This green arc rate command was the same as before; 0-500 ft vvi. I stopped the climb at approximately 9200 ft MSL and leveled at 9000 ft MSL shortly after. Within seconds of leveloff; the TCAS sounded; 'clear of conflict.' ATC informed us we should have complied with the restr on the RNAV departure. We made no comment to ATC; but continued on our flight plan. According to our clrncs; I heard 'climb and maintain FL190; 250 KTS or less' and the captain read that back to ATC. No mention of any other altitude restr was given. Pay attention to the clearance and readbacks; both by air crew and ATC. Supplemental information from acn 720785: conflicting traffic was in sight throughout event. Controller came up about this time and informed us we were to have observed the altitude restrs on the departure; cleared us normal speed; and then gave us a handoff to ZLA. Altitude clrncs given on departures seem to vary airport to airport and from controller to controller at a given airport. Arrs for some reason seem much more standardized with altitude clrncs. I felt like we followed our procedures correctly; but there was an obvious disagreement with the controller; so one of us missed the clearance. Upon arrival; I tried to contact las departure with a number I received from las tower; but was unable to reach anyone; so I have not verified with the tape what the actual clearance was. In terms of avoiding the incoming aircraft; I did have my eyes outside and saw the problem developing. I may have been quicker on the draw to query the controller or direct the first officer to reduce our rate of climb.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-700 ON THE LAS SHEAD5 RNAV DEP RECEIVED A TCAS RA AT 8500 FT NEAR ROPPR INTXN AFTER BEING TOLD BY ATC TO CLB TO FL190 WHEN OTHER CONSTRAINTS EXISTED.

Narrative: INITIAL CLRNC FROM CLRNC DELIVERY: SHEAD4.OAL RNAV DEP; MAINTAIN 7000 FT. I WAS FLYING THE SHEAD4.OAL RNAV DEP FROM RWY 25R AT LAS. AFTER TKOF AND UPON INITIAL CONTACT WITH DEP CTL; WE WERE TOLD TO 'CLB AND MAINTAIN FL190; 250 KTS OR LESS.' I FLEW THE RNAV PROFILE WITH THE LNAV AND AUTOPLT ENGAGED USING VERT SPD WHILE MAINTAINING 250 KIAS. JUST PRIOR TO ROPPR THE SPD RESTR WAS DELETED BY DEP CTL. THE ACFT WAS CLBING AT APPROX 2500-3000 FT VVI WHEN WE PASSED ROPPR BTWN 8000-8500 FT MSL. ABOUT THAT TIME THE TCAS RA SOUNDED AND COMMANDED 'ADJUST VERT SPD; ADJUST VERT SPD.' THE GREEN ARC E-VSI COMMANDED A RATE OF 0-500 FT VVI. DURING THIS TIME I SAW THE LIGHTS OF AN ACFT AT THE 3-4 O'CLOCK POS. I BEGAN TO REDUCE THE VVI TOWARD THE GREEN ARC INITIALLY WITH THE THUMB WHEEL; THEN FOLLOWED UP WITH DISENGAGING THE VERT SPD OF THE AUTOPLT AND PUSHED OVER THE YOKE TO LEVEL FLT WHEN A SECOND 'ADJUST VERT SPD; ADJUST VERT SPD' TCAS SOUNDED. THIS GREEN ARC RATE COMMAND WAS THE SAME AS BEFORE; 0-500 FT VVI. I STOPPED THE CLB AT APPROX 9200 FT MSL AND LEVELED AT 9000 FT MSL SHORTLY AFTER. WITHIN SECONDS OF LEVELOFF; THE TCAS SOUNDED; 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' ATC INFORMED US WE SHOULD HAVE COMPLIED WITH THE RESTR ON THE RNAV DEP. WE MADE NO COMMENT TO ATC; BUT CONTINUED ON OUR FLT PLAN. ACCORDING TO OUR CLRNCS; I HEARD 'CLB AND MAINTAIN FL190; 250 KTS OR LESS' AND THE CAPT READ THAT BACK TO ATC. NO MENTION OF ANY OTHER ALT RESTR WAS GIVEN. PAY ATTN TO THE CLRNC AND READBACKS; BOTH BY AIR CREW AND ATC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 720785: CONFLICTING TFC WAS IN SIGHT THROUGHOUT EVENT. CTLR CAME UP ABOUT THIS TIME AND INFORMED US WE WERE TO HAVE OBSERVED THE ALT RESTRS ON THE DEP; CLRED US NORMAL SPD; AND THEN GAVE US A HDOF TO ZLA. ALT CLRNCS GIVEN ON DEPS SEEM TO VARY ARPT TO ARPT AND FROM CTLR TO CTLR AT A GIVEN ARPT. ARRS FOR SOME REASON SEEM MUCH MORE STANDARDIZED WITH ALT CLRNCS. I FELT LIKE WE FOLLOWED OUR PROCS CORRECTLY; BUT THERE WAS AN OBVIOUS DISAGREEMENT WITH THE CTLR; SO ONE OF US MISSED THE CLRNC. UPON ARR; I TRIED TO CONTACT LAS DEP WITH A NUMBER I RECEIVED FROM LAS TWR; BUT WAS UNABLE TO REACH ANYONE; SO I HAVE NOT VERIFIED WITH THE TAPE WHAT THE ACTUAL CLRNC WAS. IN TERMS OF AVOIDING THE INCOMING ACFT; I DID HAVE MY EYES OUTSIDE AND SAW THE PROB DEVELOPING. I MAY HAVE BEEN QUICKER ON THE DRAW TO QUERY THE CTLR OR DIRECT THE FO TO REDUCE OUR RATE OF CLB.

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.