On departure reporter flight climbed through altitude and leveled 1000' above same.

Attributes
ACN	107641
Time
Date	198903
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gad
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v325
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 10850 flight time type : 17
ASRS Report	107641
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	observation : company check pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departing gadsen, al, we received a clearance as filed to maintain 5000'. Upon receiving the clearance the altitude of 6000' was dialed into the altitude alerter in error. (From an angle and at a glance, the 5 and the 6 on this particular altitude alerter look very similar.) we subsequently departed gadsen, climbed to 6000' and reported level at 6000' to ZTL. Center immediately advised us that we were only cleared to 5000' and directed us to descend to 5000'. This incident was caused by the crew incorrectly dialing up the wrong cruise altitude and was not realized by either crew member because of the similarity of the 2 numerals on this particular model. Being a new captain in this aircraft (receiving required operating experience at time of incident) possibly contributed to the cause. To prevent recurrence, my best advice is to check and double check.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON DEP REPORTER FLT CLIMBED THROUGH ALT AND LEVELED 1000' ABOVE SAME.

Narrative: DEPARTING GADSEN, AL, WE RECEIVED A CLRNC AS FILED TO MAINTAIN 5000'. UPON RECEIVING THE CLRNC THE ALT OF 6000' WAS DIALED INTO THE ALT ALERTER IN ERROR. (FROM AN ANGLE AND AT A GLANCE, THE 5 AND THE 6 ON THIS PARTICULAR ALT ALERTER LOOK VERY SIMILAR.) WE SUBSEQUENTLY DEPARTED GADSEN, CLBED TO 6000' AND RPTED LEVEL AT 6000' TO ZTL. CENTER IMMEDIATELY ADVISED US THAT WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO 5000' AND DIRECTED US TO DSND TO 5000'. THIS INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY THE CREW INCORRECTLY DIALING UP THE WRONG CRUISE ALT AND WAS NOT REALIZED BY EITHER CREW MEMBER BECAUSE OF THE SIMILARITY OF THE 2 NUMERALS ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL. BEING A NEW CAPT IN THIS ACFT (RECEIVING REQUIRED OPERATING EXPERIENCE AT TIME OF INCIDENT) POSSIBLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE CAUSE. TO PREVENT RECURRENCE, MY BEST ADVICE IS TO CHK AND DOUBLE CHK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.