B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 120; Flight Crew Total 8800; Flight Crew Type 600
Confusion; Human-Machine Interface; Time Pressure
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Chart Or Publication; Human Factors; Procedure
On the MMUGS1 SID - we were given an initial altitude of 4;000 feet and we had leveled. Just before TTAPS; ATC cleared us to climb via the SID except maintain 16;000 feet. I set 16;000 feet in the altitude window and the captain who was hand flying asked for VNAV and started the climb.... I then saw the mistake; called 'altitude; altitude' and he immediately corrected. He climbed to 4;300 feet and then corrected. We crossed TTAPS at 4;000 feet and then continued the SID.
The reporter confirmed that the admonition to 'climb via the MMUGS SID; 'except maintain 4;000 feet' is now given to departures along with their takeoff clearance (the specific reference to 'maintain 4;000 feet' was not previously included in a flight's PDC clearance.) He further reported there has been a great deal of discussion and bulletins issued at his airline to combat the initial surge of many failures to maintain 4;000 feet and; as a result; the rate of deviations has dropped dramatically.
There was a lot going on [in the cockpit] just prior to departure and I had not familiarized myself with the SID and had never flown it before with the 'climb via' clearance. There is currently no way for me to preview or review charted procedures anymore until I am at my station on the flight deck; since we no longer have personal [charts] and have not received the electronic version in our I-PAD. Also; our flight plans do not have a filed SID listed; so we must wait until the PDC arrives to review it; which may be very late in the flight deck prep time before push. I am not completely sure of the spelling of the SID or the fix since I am relying on memory. I have no access to the plates outside of the flight deck.
Although they had been advised they were to maintain 4;000 feet with their takeoff clearance; the flight crew of a B757; already level at 4;000 feet departing IAH; when cleared to climb via the MMUGS RNAV SID as they were on course to TTAPS initiated a climb prior to reaching TTAPS which must be crossed at or below 4;000 feet.