THE CAPT OF A DEPARTING HAWKER INSTRUCTED HIS FLYING FO TO LEVEL AT 1500 FT ON THE TEB DEP; CONTRARY TO THE CHARTED 2000 FT.

Date: 2008-01 · Aircraft: BAe 125 Series 800 · Phase: initial_climb

Anomalies: deviation-altitude-undershoot|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy

Synopsis

THE CAPT OF A DEPARTING HAWKER INSTRUCTED HIS FLYING FO TO LEVEL AT 1500 FT ON THE TEB DEP; CONTRARY TO THE CHARTED 2000 FT.

Narrative

DURING TAXI TO RWY 1 FOR DEP AT TEB I BRIEFED THE TEB 5 DEP WHICH WE WERE ASSIGNED IN THE CLRNC. 'HDG 040 DEGS UNTIL LEAVING 1500 FT; MAINTAIN 2000 FT.' WE WERE CLRED BY TOWER TO TAXI INTO POSITION AND HOLD; AND I NOTICED THAT THE PIC HAD SET 1500 FT IN THE ALTITUDE SELECTOR. I REVIEWED THE CHART; STATED THAT THE PROC FOR RWY 1 DOES NOT REQUIRE A LEVELOFF AT 1500 FT; ONLY A TURN; AND REQUESTED THAT HE SET 2000 FT IN THE ALTITUDE SELECTOR AS THAT WAS THE SPECIFIED LEVELOFF ALT. MY ASSUMPTION AT THE TIME WAS THAT HE CONFUSED THE REQUIRED LEVELOFF AT 1500 FT WHEN TAKING OFF RWY 19 OR 24; WITH THE TURN AT 1500 FT FOR THE RWY 1 PROC. AT THIS POINT WE RECEIVED TAKE-OFF CLRNC. AFTER ESTABLISHING A 040 DEG HDG; THE PIC AGAIN INSISTED I LEVELOFF AT 1500 FT UNTIL HE TOLD ME DIFFERENT. AGAIN; I CONSIDERED HIS AUTHORITY AND EXPERIENCE AS PIC; AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT I MISINTERPRETED SOME ASPECT OF THE PROC. AS I WAS LEVELING AT 1500 FT; ATC ISSUED A CLB TO 6000 FT WHICH I IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED. REACHING CRUISE ALTITUDE I AGAIN CAREFULLY REVIEWED THE PROC; AND ASKED THE PIC TO REVIEW THE PROC WITH ME; AS I COULD FIND NO REQUIREMENT OR AUTHORIZATION TO LEVEL AT 1500 FT WHEN DEPARTING RWY 1. I WAS TOLD THAT HE 'KNEW WHAT THE CHART SAID' AND THAT HE 'HAD BEEN BURNED TOO MANY TIMES ON THE TEB 5 DEP.' HE 'NORMALLY DID NOT ALLOW SIC'S TO FLY THE TEB 5 DEP; AND THAT HE REQUIRED THE LEVELOFF AT 1500 FT' 'TO GIVE HIM TIME' BECAUSE HE HAD HAD TOO MANY SIC'S BUST THE 2000 FOOT ALTITUDE; AND GOING DIRECT TO 2000 FT DIDN'T ALLOW HIM ENOUGH TIME TO STOP THE CLB. HE STATED THAT HE BELIEVED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH A MOMENTARY LEVELOFF AT 1500 FT. I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT SETTING 1500 FT IN THE ALTITUDE SELECTOR AND LEVELING AT 1500 FT WAS CONTRARY TO THE ASSIGNED DEP PROC AND THEREFORE THE CLRNC. I ALSO BELIEVE IT SETS A POOR PRECEDENT. UNDER WHAT OTHER CIRCUMSTANCE DO YOU SET THE ALTITUDE SELECTOR FOR 500 FT LOWER ALTITUDE THAN THE ONE ASSIGNED? FOR EXAMPLE; WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE TO SET 1000 FT AND LEVELOFF ON THE RWY 19 OR 24 DEPS FOR THE TEB 5 AS A METHOD TO AVOID EXCEEDING 1500 FT? I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THE PIC'S UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE DEP PROC; AND HIS INSISTENCE ON DEVIATING FROM THE PUBLISHED PROC.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.