SR20
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 350; Flight Crew Total 4100; Flight Crew Type 2500
Confusion; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Airport; Airspace Structure; Chart Or Publication; Human Factors; Procedure
We departed on the Canoga 2 departure from VNY; and were on the initial climb on heading 213. At this time; typically we are vectored toward the west on course away from the higher terrain. However; this controller continued to fly us on the 213 heading. There was an abnormally small amount of traffic on the radios; so we were having a hard time understanding why he continued to drive us toward the water and away from our course and lower terrain; but continued on. At this phase; we were in day VMC conditions and had a visual on the terrain. The Controller at one point; told us we had higher terrain coming up and to expedite our climb. We transitioned to Vx; and continued. He then came back on; and announced we had a low altitude alert; and continued our vector toward the higher terrain. He asked us if we were expediting; and we responded in the affirmative. We at this point announced we had the terrain in site; and were VMC. He continued us on course until reach 4;000 feet; at which point he turned us on course. This was a very strange encounter with ATC. Although we met the book minimums for the departure; we were extremely tight as we calculated on the climb gradient. Again; we knew we were VMC; and we met the gradient; and being extremely familiar with this departure; assumed we would be turned well before any upcoming terrain regardless.My concern; was that it seemed almost as though the controller was testing us and seeing if we would deviate from the departure. He did not seem to be trying to work us on course; or turn us away from the terrain. Further; he continued to keep us on course; even after we announced we were giving him our best climb rate. I was concerned about what his intentions were. Perhaps he wanted to allow us to not meet the minimums; or he wanted us to turn without a vector. This was part of my debrief with the student and allowed the discussion of making sure to review all climb gradient data; maintain our own terrain avoidance; and double check vectors. I think in the future; the best course of action will be to announce Vy/Vx to ATC; try to make sure we have larger margins on the climb gradients; and request alternate vectors if it seems like we are getting too close to terrain while on a vector.
A pilot reported ATC advised them of a low altitude alert even though they were complying with the SID requirements and ATC took no action to clear them on course or to assist them as expected.