Narrative:

Upon departure from tvl and sic was flying from the left seat and the PIC was occupying the right seat and handling communications. The clearance read, was copied and read back as follows: cleared to sna airport via the richy 5 departure, tilts transition, J-5 as filed. Climb to and maintain 15000', expect higher after tilts. Contact ZOA on 127.95 passing through 10000', squawk XXXX. When cleared to takeoff by tvl tower we were also cleared to climb to 15000'. Altitude restrictions as depicted on the tvl SID had been discussed on the ground prior to taxi. With this transmission from the tower they were again discussed and it was my determination that they were now removed. Contact with ZOA when passing through 10000' was not possible because of a communication problem between a single engine aircraft inbound to reno and ZOA. Contact was finally made with center when passing through about 12500' at which time they asked about the 12000' restriction to richy. My reply was that 'we had no restriction.' in so far as we had clearance to climb to 15000' with further climb expected at tilts all other altitudes depicted on the SID were negated. If this is not the intent of that clearance, as given, I suggest that it be reworded immediately by leaving out the part which states, 'cleared to and maintain 15000'.' either that or the tvl tower not issue the takeoff clearance with the accompanying altitude information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT OVERSHOT THE CROSSING ALT AT RICHY INTERSECTION WHILE FLYING THE SID OUT OF TVL.

Narrative: UPON DEP FROM TVL AND SIC WAS FLYING FROM THE LEFT SEAT AND THE PIC WAS OCCUPYING THE RIGHT SEAT AND HANDLING COMS. THE CLRNC READ, WAS COPIED AND READ BACK AS FOLLOWS: CLRED TO SNA ARPT VIA THE RICHY 5 DEP, TILTS TRANSITION, J-5 AS FILED. CLB TO AND MAINTAIN 15000', EXPECT HIGHER AFTER TILTS. CONTACT ZOA ON 127.95 PASSING THROUGH 10000', SQUAWK XXXX. WHEN CLRED TO TKOF BY TVL TWR WE WERE ALSO CLRED TO CLB TO 15000'. ALT RESTRICTIONS AS DEPICTED ON THE TVL SID HAD BEEN DISCUSSED ON THE GND PRIOR TO TAXI. WITH THIS XMISSION FROM THE TWR THEY WERE AGAIN DISCUSSED AND IT WAS MY DETERMINATION THAT THEY WERE NOW REMOVED. CONTACT WITH ZOA WHEN PASSING THROUGH 10000' WAS NOT POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF A COM PROB BTWN A SINGLE ENG ACFT INBND TO RENO AND ZOA. CONTACT WAS FINALLY MADE WITH CENTER WHEN PASSING THROUGH ABOUT 12500' AT WHICH TIME THEY ASKED ABOUT THE 12000' RESTRICTION TO RICHY. MY REPLY WAS THAT 'WE HAD NO RESTRICTION.' IN SO FAR AS WE HAD CLRNC TO CLB TO 15000' WITH FURTHER CLB EXPECTED AT TILTS ALL OTHER ALTS DEPICTED ON THE SID WERE NEGATED. IF THIS IS NOT THE INTENT OF THAT CLRNC, AS GIVEN, I SUGGEST THAT IT BE REWORDED IMMEDIATELY BY LEAVING OUT THE PART WHICH STATES, 'CLRED TO AND MAINTAIN 15000'.' EITHER THAT OR THE TVL TWR NOT ISSUE THE TKOF CLRNC WITH THE ACCOMPANYING ALT INFO.

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.