Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Confusion; Time Pressure; Distraction; Workload
Deviation - Altitude Undershoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Chart Or Publication; Weather; Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related
While departing TEB on a charter the First Officer and I were reviewing the departure procedures and noise abatement procedures for our runway when I made an error in my take off briefing. We were assigned the RUDDY 4 RNAV departure that requires you to cross a fix at 1;500 FT then continue the climb to 2;000 FT. While at the terminal I briefed a climb to 2;000 FT and a crossing restriction of making sure we cross the restriction at or above 1;500 FT. Upon taxi out we were held on the ground for delays and spent our time going over an ATC reroute as well as making sure the weather was suitable when departing 24. After takeoff I continued my climb to 2;000 FT too early because I was concentrating on weather cells that lined the departure. ATC told us that we should be at 1;500 and by that time it was too late to fix our mistake. They said nothing else; and the First Officer and I realized what we had done. I was in an unfamiliar airport on a charter that had complicated noise procedures combined with weather and the standard difficulties of a charter. I briefed a chart incorrectly and then went on to concentrate on the weather and route planning without reviewing it except just before takeoff. It was my mistake in the initial briefing that led me to think I was correct in my climb to 2;000 FT.
With better CRM; and a focus put on looking for any possible areas that we could get tricked up by an unfamilair departure procedure. I believe that this would have never happened. I will be paying closer attention to the verbage in the departure procedures to make sure that nothing like this will ever happen again. Especially at airports that we do not do normal opperations.
An ERJ flight crew on the TEB RUUDY 4 climbed directly to 2;000 FT before WENTZ because the Captain was task saturated with the unfamiliar departure and weather avoidance.