Narrative:

Our IFR departure clearance from teb included the teb 5 standard instrument departure (SID) procedure; and we departed via runway 24. The procedure calls for runway heading to 1500 ft; right turn to 280 degrees maintaining 1500 ft until reaching teb 4.5 DME or the pnj 015 bearing; and then climbing to 2000 ft. Due to confusion with the procedure; I climbed early from 1500 ft to 2000 ft after the turn to 280 degrees; but before reaching the end of the altitude restr; thus deviating from the procedure. Safety was not compromised; for there were no aircraft on the localizer to ewr. Had there been anybody on that approach; this story could have had a much more tragic ending. I think what led to this confusion was that both descriptions of the altitude restr transition point require DME or ADF to identify; and we had neither in our aircraft. My copilot was not able to load the departure procedure in the GPS database; I assume because he couldn't find it. This meant setting up our GPS (GNS-530) in obs mode to pnj; a 'direct to' setting to teb to get the distance; or using the 'nearest' function to get our distance from teb. Any of these methods would have taken the GPS away from our primary flight plan; causing a little uneasiness; in addition to the increased workload; so we did not immediately embrace any of these alternatives. This resulted in a distraction which somehow caused me to believe it was ok to climb to 2000 ft; and I climbed to 2000 ft before I could correct the situation. Most aircraft flying serious IFR today are equipped with GPS instead of DME or ADF. It would be really helpful if a GPS fix similar to shrli intersection in the hef ars-2 SID were added to simplify this procedure for GPS equipped aircraft. I also think the information in this procedure concerning the altitude restr is more complicated than it needs to be; which can lead to confusion. Additionally; this has taught me to be more thorough in briefing the SID before departing to make sure it is fully understood.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE36 INITIATED THE CLB FROM 1500 FT PREMATURELY ON THE TEB 5 DEP.

Narrative: OUR IFR DEP CLRNC FROM TEB INCLUDED THE TEB 5 STANDARD INSTRUMENT DEP (SID) PROC; AND WE DEPARTED VIA RWY 24. THE PROC CALLS FOR RWY HEADING TO 1500 FT; R TURN TO 280 DEGS MAINTAINING 1500 FT UNTIL REACHING TEB 4.5 DME OR THE PNJ 015 BEARING; AND THEN CLBING TO 2000 FT. DUE TO CONFUSION WITH THE PROC; I CLBED EARLY FROM 1500 FT TO 2000 FT AFTER THE TURN TO 280 DEGS; BUT BEFORE REACHING THE END OF THE ALTITUDE RESTR; THUS DEVIATING FROM THE PROC. SAFETY WAS NOT COMPROMISED; FOR THERE WERE NO ACFT ON THE LOCALIZER TO EWR. HAD THERE BEEN ANYBODY ON THAT APCH; THIS STORY COULD HAVE HAD A MUCH MORE TRAGIC ENDING. I THINK WHAT LED TO THIS CONFUSION WAS THAT BOTH DESCRIPTIONS OF THE ALTITUDE RESTR TRANSITION POINT REQUIRE DME OR ADF TO IDENTIFY; AND WE HAD NEITHER IN OUR ACFT. MY COPLT WAS NOT ABLE TO LOAD THE DEP PROC IN THE GPS DATABASE; I ASSUME BECAUSE HE COULDN'T FIND IT. THIS MEANT SETTING UP OUR GPS (GNS-530) IN OBS MODE TO PNJ; A 'DIRECT TO' SETTING TO TEB TO GET THE DISTANCE; OR USING THE 'NEAREST' FUNCTION TO GET OUR DISTANCE FROM TEB. ANY OF THESE METHODS WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE GPS AWAY FROM OUR PRIMARY FLT PLAN; CAUSING A LITTLE UNEASINESS; IN ADDITION TO THE INCREASED WORKLOAD; SO WE DID NOT IMMEDIATELY EMBRACE ANY OF THESE ALTERNATIVES. THIS RESULTED IN A DISTR WHICH SOMEHOW CAUSED ME TO BELIEVE IT WAS OK TO CLB TO 2000 FT; AND I CLIMBED TO 2000 FT BEFORE I COULD CORRECT THE SITUATION. MOST ACFT FLYING SERIOUS IFR TODAY ARE EQUIPPED WITH GPS INSTEAD OF DME OR ADF. IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL IF A GPS FIX SIMILAR TO SHRLI INTXN IN THE HEF ARS-2 SID WERE ADDED TO SIMPLIFY THIS PROC FOR GPS EQUIPPED ACFT. I ALSO THINK THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROC CONCERNING THE ALTITUDE RESTR IS MORE COMPLICATED THAN IT NEEDS TO BE; WHICH CAN LEAD TO CONFUSION. ADDITIONALLY; THIS HAS TAUGHT ME TO BE MORE THOROUGH IN BRIEFING THE SID BEFORE DEPARTING TO MAKE SURE IT IS FULLY UNDERSTOOD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.