Narrative:

We departed runway 17R in VMC in denver. Original clearance was for 19000 ft but takeoff clearance was 7000 ft and runway heading. After captain took off; we were alerted to an airbus that took off runway 25; had turned about 270 degrees left and was going to cross our path above us. After I called aircraft in sight; tower assigned a leveloff at 6500 ft; which is only about 1200 ft AGL. We complied and several mi after were told to turn left; climb to 10000 ft and contact departure. As we began the turn (somewhere after denver VOR); our radar altimeter reading spiked and we received audio 'terrain; terrain' warning. No terrain information came up on the mfd. After gaining altitude I consulted the charts and saw several tall towers on and around the runway 17R centerline. One reaching 5759 ft was 5 mi south of runway on the centerline and another; 6236 ft is located 6 mi sse of the runway. Whether any of these were actually a factor; and whether we got anywhere near them; we don't know; but both of us were distressed at being kept so low in vicinity of such obstacles. Factors and thoughts: the airport was not busy; so there was no reason for such tight spacing and resultant low leveloff. We had consulted the textual description of single engine departure procedure prior to takeoff; but I did not review the graphic; which would have alerted us to the towers. We were mainly concerned about the mountains and did not have the terrain display up since we were not headed towards them. I regret that. Even so; we were following ATC directions; and had little to no room to maneuver due to the aircraft right above us. Still; the terrain display would have improved situational awareness. I recommend crews carefully review special dp charts and keep the terrain display up even in VMC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARJ RECEIVES EGPWS TERRAIN WARNING WHEN REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN 6500 MSL AFTER TKOF FROM DEN.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED RWY 17R IN VMC IN DENVER. ORIGINAL CLRNC WAS FOR 19000 FT BUT TKOF CLRNC WAS 7000 FT AND RWY HDG. AFTER CAPT TOOK OFF; WE WERE ALERTED TO AN AIRBUS THAT TOOK OFF RWY 25; HAD TURNED ABOUT 270 DEGS L AND WAS GOING TO CROSS OUR PATH ABOVE US. AFTER I CALLED ACFT IN SIGHT; TWR ASSIGNED A LEVELOFF AT 6500 FT; WHICH IS ONLY ABOUT 1200 FT AGL. WE COMPLIED AND SEVERAL MI AFTER WERE TOLD TO TURN L; CLB TO 10000 FT AND CONTACT DEP. AS WE BEGAN THE TURN (SOMEWHERE AFTER DENVER VOR); OUR RADAR ALTIMETER READING SPIKED AND WE RECEIVED AUDIO 'TERRAIN; TERRAIN' WARNING. NO TERRAIN INFO CAME UP ON THE MFD. AFTER GAINING ALT I CONSULTED THE CHARTS AND SAW SEVERAL TALL TWRS ON AND AROUND THE RWY 17R CTRLINE. ONE REACHING 5759 FT WAS 5 MI S OF RWY ON THE CTRLINE AND ANOTHER; 6236 FT IS LOCATED 6 MI SSE OF THE RWY. WHETHER ANY OF THESE WERE ACTUALLY A FACTOR; AND WHETHER WE GOT ANYWHERE NEAR THEM; WE DON'T KNOW; BUT BOTH OF US WERE DISTRESSED AT BEING KEPT SO LOW IN VICINITY OF SUCH OBSTACLES. FACTORS AND THOUGHTS: THE ARPT WAS NOT BUSY; SO THERE WAS NO REASON FOR SUCH TIGHT SPACING AND RESULTANT LOW LEVELOFF. WE HAD CONSULTED THE TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION OF SINGLE ENG DEP PROC PRIOR TO TKOF; BUT I DID NOT REVIEW THE GRAPHIC; WHICH WOULD HAVE ALERTED US TO THE TWRS. WE WERE MAINLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE MOUNTAINS AND DID NOT HAVE THE TERRAIN DISPLAY UP SINCE WE WERE NOT HEADED TOWARDS THEM. I REGRET THAT. EVEN SO; WE WERE FOLLOWING ATC DIRECTIONS; AND HAD LITTLE TO NO ROOM TO MANEUVER DUE TO THE ACFT RIGHT ABOVE US. STILL; THE TERRAIN DISPLAY WOULD HAVE IMPROVED SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. I RECOMMEND CREWS CAREFULLY REVIEW SPECIAL DP CHARTS AND KEEP THE TERRAIN DISPLAY UP EVEN IN VMC.

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.