Narrative:

During climb out of sna, automatic throttles placarded for takeoff. Noise abatement required use of dial-a-flap for 17 degrees. Initial level off at 3000' for clean up, subsequently cleared to 4000'. Copilot flying called for flaps up, which proceeded normally. Then, on call for slats retract, flap handle jammed. During the hassle of working to get the slats retracted, looking for traffic, reinstating automatic throttles, etc, the aircraft was allowed to climb to approximately 4400' momentarily before we were settled at 4000'. No conflict that I know of. I finally took the aircraft and the copilot was able to clear the jam and retract the slats. This is the second time I have seen this problem occur and was on the alert for a problem, and still had trouble despite careful and deliberate handling of the flap handle controls. This dial-a-flap system needs to be improved. In my opinion, it was the primary cause of this altitude deviation. Secondary causes include presence of many private aircraft, altitudes unknown in the departure route, requiring maximum heads up-eyes outside to avoid possible midair collision. Complicated, restrictive noise abatement procedure. I don't say that the private pilots are in the wrong place doing the wrong things, the enemy is us, we moved in on them. Sna, bur and santa barbara, to name a few, can hardly be called jetports. The safety factor at these places is marginal at best for many reasons.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT DURING CLIMB FROM SNA.

Narrative: DURING CLBOUT OF SNA, AUTO THROTTLES PLACARDED FOR TKOF. NOISE ABATEMENT REQUIRED USE OF DIAL-A-FLAP FOR 17 DEGS. INITIAL LEVEL OFF AT 3000' FOR CLEAN UP, SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED TO 4000'. COPLT FLYING CALLED FOR FLAPS UP, WHICH PROCEEDED NORMALLY. THEN, ON CALL FOR SLATS RETRACT, FLAP HANDLE JAMMED. DURING THE HASSLE OF WORKING TO GET THE SLATS RETRACTED, LOOKING FOR TFC, REINSTATING AUTO THROTTLES, ETC, THE ACFT WAS ALLOWED TO CLB TO APPROX 4400' MOMENTARILY BEFORE WE WERE SETTLED AT 4000'. NO CONFLICT THAT I KNOW OF. I FINALLY TOOK THE ACFT AND THE COPLT WAS ABLE TO CLEAR THE JAM AND RETRACT THE SLATS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE SEEN THIS PROB OCCUR AND WAS ON THE ALERT FOR A PROB, AND STILL HAD TROUBLE DESPITE CAREFUL AND DELIBERATE HANDLING OF THE FLAP HANDLE CTLS. THIS DIAL-A-FLAP SYS NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED. IN MY OPINION, IT WAS THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THIS ALT DEVIATION. SECONDARY CAUSES INCLUDE PRESENCE OF MANY PVT ACFT, ALTS UNKNOWN IN THE DEP ROUTE, REQUIRING MAX HEADS UP-EYES OUTSIDE TO AVOID POSSIBLE MIDAIR COLLISION. COMPLICATED, RESTRICTIVE NOISE ABATEMENT PROC. I DON'T SAY THAT THE PVT PLTS ARE IN THE WRONG PLACE DOING THE WRONG THINGS, THE ENEMY IS US, WE MOVED IN ON THEM. SNA, BUR AND SANTA BARBARA, TO NAME A FEW, CAN HARDLY BE CALLED JETPORTS. THE SAFETY FACTOR AT THESE PLACES IS MARGINAL AT BEST FOR MANY REASONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.