MLG UNABLE TO READ PRE-DEP CLRNC DUE TO POOR PRINTING. EXCEEDS ALT ASSIGNED.

Narrative

DEPARTING EWR FOR MCI ON RWY 22 SID. INITIAL ALT IS PUBLISHED AT 5000 FT. PRE-DEP CLRNC IS PRINTED AT GATE RELIEVING CLRNC DELIVER FREQ CONGESTION. A NOISE ABATEMENT TEST DEP IS IN EFFECT AT EWR FOR 90 DAYS CHANGING THE TURN POINT FROM 3 DME TO A CLOSE IN 2 DME. AT TIMES; ALT IS CHANGED FROM 5000 FT 2500 FT. THE ONLY PLACE THIS CAN BE NOTED IS ON THE PRE-DEP CLRNC. WELL; THE PRINTOUT WAS NOT VERY GOOD; GND CTL; AND TWR WERE EXTREMELY BUSY REQUIRING INCREASED RADIO VIGILANCE ALONG WITH GETTING ALL OTHER DUTIES DONE; AND ONCE WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF; DEP WAS SO BUSY WE COULD NOT CHK IN WITH HIM UNTIL 6 NM S OF THE ARPT (UNUSUAL) AND CLBING THROUGH 3500 FT TO LEVEL AT 5000 FT. NORMALLY; WE ARE TALKING TO DEP CTL AT 1000-1200 FT ON HDOF FROM TWR. WELL; YOU GUESSED IT; OUR INITIAL CLB ALT WAS 2500; NOT 5000; WE MISSED IT; COULDN'T' CONFIRM IT WITH ANYONE AND FINALLY TALKED TO DEP CTL AT 3500 FT! 2500 WAS SUPPOSEDLY ON THE PRE-DEP CLRNC; BUT THE PRINTING WAS SO POOR IT WAS DIFFICULT TO REALLY DETERMINE. DEP QUERIED US AS TO OUR CLRNC AND MY HEART SKIPPED 2 BEATS. DEP INFORMED US OUR INITIAL WAS 2500; NOT 5000 AS WE THOUGHT; AND THEN TOLD US OUR EXCURSION WAS 'NO PROB' AND ISSUED US FURTHER CLB TO 10000 AND 330 DEG HDG FOR VECTORS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: POOR PRINTING ON PRE-DEP CLRNC. TEST NOISE ABATEMENT CONCERNS (TIGHT TURNS). EXCESSIVELY BUSY GND; TWR; AND DEP FREQS. CHANGE FROM THE NORMAL PROC. MIXING PROCS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. THE 'TEST' IS ONLY DONE 'SOMETIMES.' CORRECTIVE ACTION: NOT TO PLACE BLAME (SOME IS MINE); BUT ANYTIME A PUBLISHED SID IS ALTERED I.E.; ALT/HDG/ETC; GND OR TWR SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO CONFIRM INITIAL ALT OR; BETTER YET; THE MORE RESTRICTIVE CLRNC DURING TKOF CLRNC; WOULD REALLY BE THE IDEAL TIME. THIS WOULD VIRTUALLY ELIMINATE THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE AND RESULT IN A SAFER OP. THE LAST THING A PROFESSIONAL PLT WANTS TO HEAR IS 'WHAT ALT ARE YOU AT?' OR WHERE ARE YOU GOING?' EMBARRASSING? YES. AVOIDABLE? YES. CATASTROPHIC?