B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 175; Flight Crew Type 2108.82
Confusion; Situational Awareness
Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Weather; Human Factors; Aircraft
Our PDC clearance was the COWBY6 departure GUP transition. Climb via the SID and top altitude was FL190. The winds were 200/11 G17. During our departure briefing; we discussed and confirmed we would be accomplishing a flaps 5; full power; VR max takeoff [for possible windshear]. We departed the gate 5 minutes early and airport traffic was light. We were not rushed and the weather was VFR. LAS ground instructed us to taxi to runway 25R via C and our sequence was behind Aircraft Y on B at the end of the runway. When we were number 1 for takeoff; LAS tower asked us if we had the previous Aircraft Y in sight to which we said yes. As Aircraft Y was rotating on 25R; we were cleared for takeoff and LAS tower reported winds 260/25 G35. Tower also instructed us to maintain visual separation with Aircraft Y. As we were rolling down the runway; the Captain (CA) called out V1 (119) VR (142) and rotate at VR max (162). Our final weight was 143.0 and the aircraft was very light. Knowing the aircraft was both light and full power was going to be used; I anticipated a very quick liftoff as the plane wanted to leave the ground before I heard the 'rotate' call. There was a slight left crosswind and I made the necessary adjustments with the ailerons. After positive rate and gear up; the airplane was climbing very aggressively. It took very little time to clean up the flaps as we achieved 800 AFE and 214 knots (clean maneuvering speed). The flaps were up prior to reaching RBELL waypoint. Once we started the left turn to ROPPR; I noticed on the left hand side outside the CA's window the preceding Aircraft Y ahead of us. It felt like we were gaining on them pretty quickly. No sooner than we were making the turn; we received a Traffic Alert (TA). My immediate thought the TA was generated by the [departed aircraft] ahead of us and I then noticed a red OFFSET message on my First Officer (FO) inboard Display Electronic Unit (DEU). I have never seen that message before and was confused. I honestly did not know what that message meant until I looked it up later in the Flight Manual. It now makes total sense to me now since my map ring was set up at 5 miles; since we had a more complicated engine out procedure. The 25R Engine Out (EO) procedure has both a 1.5 and 2.2 NM turning point and my ring was set to 5 NM. The TA we got was from another aircraft beyond the 5 NM ring I had displayed and not the preceding aircraft. I was focused on the wrong screen searching for the traffic and should have looked at my PFD specifically my vertical guidance and altitude. I was caught trying to figure out the TA OFFSET problem and was distracted and confused. I don't recall the speed that exact moment and had my left hand on the thrust lever thinking we should be leveling off soon. The AT was armed and did not idle back. Seconds later; we received a brief RA and I immediately disconnected the AT and started to descend. Our altitude was at 7800 ft and I immediately descended down to 7000 ft. We are now between the waypoints RBELL and ROPPR. The ROPPR intersection requires us to cross between 5900 and 7000 feet. The CA called LAS departure and notified him about our RA. LAS departure then instructed us to turn left to a heading of 130 and then maintain 7000 ft. Approximately 15 seconds later; we were cleared up to FL190 and direct to the COWBY waypoint. As I mentioned earlier; the flow and pace of the flight up to that point was relaxed. The combination of the special EO procedure; gusting winds; maintaining visual separation; full thrust/accelerated takeoff; confusion of my understanding the OFFSET display and not focusing on the PFD at a very critical point led to this incident.
On climb out out of LAS; on the COWBY6 departure; we were told to climb via the SID and maintain visual separation with the aircraft ahead. Winds were very strong; at 260/2G35 for takeoff. We elected to do a full power takeoff with delayed rotation per company guidelines due to the winds and windshear possibility. The aircraft weight was very light at about 143;000 lbs. This resulted in an extreme rate of climb. At some point passing 6000 feet; we received a TA for traffic ahead at our 11 o'clock about 4000' above us and descending. While fixated outside and looking for this traffic as well as maintaining a visual separation with the aircraft ahead; we exceeded our altitude restriction for the waypoint ahead by 800 feet. ROPPR has a crossing restriction between 5900 and 7000 feet. We noticed our error at 7800 and immediately corrected towards 7000 feet and notified ATC. Shortly after our correction the TA became an RA for a few seconds.
B737 flight crew reported overshooting a crossing restriction during the COWBY6 departure from LAS after a TCAS RA with a preceding aircraft distracted the flying First Officer.