Narrative:

Departed vny on the glendale 8 departure. After lift-off I was told to correct squawk code. I looked and replied that squawk was right. Was asked again to correct squawk code. At this time I had already reached the 2.2 fix off van nuys and made my left turn to a heading of 110 degrees and leveled at 1700 ft. As I was asked a third time to correct the squawk code I had found my error in the code and reset it. Just then I started to get a terrain alert and I started a climb. Thinking I was not cleared to climb I started to correct and return to 1700 ft. The terrain alert keep going and I asked approach for higher. They gave me a heading of 050 degrees and 3000 ft and the alert stopped. After the flight I reviewed the departure and found it somewhat confusing. The illustration shows 1700 ft at the 2.2 fix but no illustration of a climb after that. In the written description it says 1700 ft then a climbing left turn to a heading of 110 degrees. I feel it would be less confusing if there was a specific altitude listed after the 1700 ft mark and it showed on the illustration as well. I had made the mistake of not climbing to 3000 ft after passing the 2.2 fix; as I felt that I would be directed higher with the radar vectors. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that his original clearance was to climb to 3000 feet and he realizes now that he should have continued climbing after passing 2.2 DME.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PILOT REPORTS TERRAIN WARNING ON GLENDALE DEP FROM VNY AFTER LEVELING AT 1700 FEET.

Narrative: DEPARTED VNY ON THE GLENDALE 8 DEP. AFTER LIFT-OFF I WAS TOLD TO CORRECT SQUAWK CODE. I LOOKED AND REPLIED THAT SQUAWK WAS RIGHT. WAS ASKED AGAIN TO CORRECT SQUAWK CODE. AT THIS TIME I HAD ALREADY REACHED THE 2.2 FIX OFF VAN NUYS AND MADE MY L TURN TO A HDG OF 110 DEGS AND LEVELED AT 1700 FT. AS I WAS ASKED A THIRD TIME TO CORRECT THE SQUAWK CODE I HAD FOUND MY ERROR IN THE CODE AND RESET IT. JUST THEN I STARTED TO GET A TERRAIN ALERT AND I STARTED A CLB. THINKING I WAS NOT CLRED TO CLB I STARTED TO CORRECT AND RETURN TO 1700 FT. THE TERRAIN ALERT KEEP GOING AND I ASKED APCH FOR HIGHER. THEY GAVE ME A HDG OF 050 DEGS AND 3000 FT AND THE ALERT STOPPED. AFTER THE FLT I REVIEWED THE DEP AND FOUND IT SOMEWHAT CONFUSING. THE ILLUSTRATION SHOWS 1700 FT AT THE 2.2 FIX BUT NO ILLUSTRATION OF A CLB AFTER THAT. IN THE WRITTEN DESCRIPTION IT SAYS 1700 FT THEN A CLBING L TURN TO A HDG OF 110 DEGS. I FEEL IT WOULD BE LESS CONFUSING IF THERE WAS A SPECIFIC ALT LISTED AFTER THE 1700 FT MARK AND IT SHOWED ON THE ILLUSTRATION AS WELL. I HAD MADE THE MISTAKE OF NOT CLBING TO 3000 FT AFTER PASSING THE 2.2 FIX; AS I FELT THAT I WOULD BE DIRECTED HIGHER WITH THE RADAR VECTORS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THAT HIS ORIGINAL CLEARANCE WAS TO CLIMB TO 3000 FEET AND HE REALIZES NOW THAT HE SHOULD HAVE CONTINUED CLIMBING AFTER PASSING 2.2 DME.

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.