S56 controller described a wrong altitude level off event; noting RNAV departure procedures are caus...

Narrative:

An A320 assigned NSIGN2 RNAV departure via the pre departure clearance to climb to 23;000. The A320 checked [in] on departure frequency stating assigned altitude of 9;000. I questioned his assigned altitude and he responded again 9;000 as he leveled at 9;000. I climbed him to 23;000 and later told him of the mistake. I had two similar instances of aircraft on the LEETZ2 departure last week. Both were climbing to an altitude of other than 10;000 (assigned by tower via the pre departure clearance) and I corrected both. Slc tower should assign 10;000 to all slc departure regardless of route and the TRACON could then climb them on contact or later if there is traffic. The non-RNAV sids and the RNAV sids are too confusing for the pilot to always know the correct assigned altitude. They are required to figure out by reading the chart that they are assigned 10;000 on the non-RNAV departures. They are required to figure out that they are climbing to the top altitude on the nsign RNAV; but all the other RNAV sids they are assigned either 10;000 or 14;000. This becomes extremely confusing and unsafe when we change runways.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: S56 Controller described a wrong altitude level off event; noting RNAV departure procedures are causing confusion regarding initial altitude assignments; adding the Tower should issue initial altitude with the takeoff clearance.

Narrative: An A320 assigned NSIGN2 RNAV Departure via the PDC to climb to 23;000. The A320 checked [in] on Departure frequency stating assigned altitude of 9;000. I questioned his assigned altitude and he responded again 9;000 as he leveled at 9;000. I climbed him to 23;000 and later told him of the mistake. I had two similar instances of aircraft on the LEETZ2 departure last week. Both were climbing to an altitude of other than 10;000 (assigned by Tower via the PDC) and I corrected both. SLC Tower should assign 10;000 to all SLC departure regardless of route and the TRACON could then climb them on contact or later if there is traffic. The Non-RNAV SIDS and the RNAV SIDS are too confusing for the pilot to always know the correct assigned altitude. They are required to figure out by reading the chart that they are assigned 10;000 on the Non-RNAV departures. They are required to figure out that they are climbing to the top altitude on the NSIGN RNAV; but all the other RNAV SIDS they are assigned either 10;000 or 14;000. This becomes extremely confusing and unsafe when we change runways.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	915661
Time
Date	201010
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	S56.TRACON
State Reference	UT
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Initial Climb
Route In Use	SID NSIGN2
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Departure
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

S56 controller described a wrong altitude level off event; noting RNAV departure procedures are causing confusion regarding initial altitude assignments; adding the tower should issue initial altitude with the takeoff clearance.