Narrative:

We received our paperwork for the flight from flight operations and went out to the aircraft for a scheduled departure. The first officer and I discussed the route and the SID (IAH9) that we had on the pre departure clearance and briefed the procedures that we would follow for the next 3 days. (I had just met him the night before and it was our first flight together). We completed all of the required checklists and paperwork and left the gate on time. During the taxi checklist we set and verified the assigned altitude per the SID on the adu, completed the balance of the checklist and discussed abort and transfer of flight control procedures. The takeoff was uneventful (I was flying). During climb out the tower switched us over to departure and we checked in. 'Houston departure, air carrier xx is passing 2300 ft for 4000 ft.' we received the customary 'roger, radar contact' and continued the climb. After passing about 3400 ft departure called and said, 'I show your final altitude as 3000, is that what you show on your pre departure clearance?' I responded, 'yes, I must have missed it.' then departure said 'no problem, what would you like for your final altitude?' I requested 5000 ft and the balance of the flight was uneventful. Links in the chain of events: experience -- I am a new captain with approximately 200 hours as PIC and 2000 as sic in the ATR 42/72. Experience -- as I later discovered, my first officer had about 250 hours in the ATR since being hired by the company with virtually no airline and IMC experience prior to employment. The sky was overcast. Unfamiliarity -- all of my time as PIC has been in the northeast corridor as I am based in ewr. Due to the recently published airworthiness directive prohibiting the ATR from flying in known or forecast icing conditions, we ferried the atrs from ewr to tx and fl. This was my first flight out of houston after flying in ATR in. Airworthiness directive -- due to the recently published airworthiness directive prohibiting the ATR from flying in known or forecast icing conditions, I was preoccupied with determining if we were able to comply with the airworthiness directive. Additionally, dispatch was concerned as well and filed a final altitude that was abnormally low (3000 ft). What can be done to prevent a recurrence? The PIC should read the entire pre departure clearance aloud so both pilots can hear the pre departure clearance while simultaneously reading the pre departure clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OVERSHOOT ON CLB.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED OUR PAPERWORK FOR THE FLT FROM FLT OPS AND WENT OUT TO THE ACFT FOR A SCHEDULED DEP. THE FO AND I DISCUSSED THE RTE AND THE SID (IAH9) THAT WE HAD ON THE PDC AND BRIEFED THE PROCS THAT WE WOULD FOLLOW FOR THE NEXT 3 DAYS. (I HAD JUST MET HIM THE NIGHT BEFORE AND IT WAS OUR FIRST FLT TOGETHER). WE COMPLETED ALL OF THE REQUIRED CHKLISTS AND PAPERWORK AND LEFT THE GATE ON TIME. DURING THE TAXI CHKLIST WE SET AND VERIFIED THE ASSIGNED ALT PER THE SID ON THE ADU, COMPLETED THE BAL OF THE CHKLIST AND DISCUSSED ABORT AND TRANSFER OF FLT CTL PROCS. THE TKOF WAS UNEVENTFUL (I WAS FLYING). DURING CLBOUT THE TWR SWITCHED US OVER TO DEP AND WE CHKED IN. 'HOUSTON DEP, ACR XX IS PASSING 2300 FT FOR 4000 FT.' WE RECEIVED THE CUSTOMARY 'ROGER, RADAR CONTACT' AND CONTINUED THE CLB. AFTER PASSING ABOUT 3400 FT DEP CALLED AND SAID, 'I SHOW YOUR FINAL ALT AS 3000, IS THAT WHAT YOU SHOW ON YOUR PDC?' I RESPONDED, 'YES, I MUST HAVE MISSED IT.' THEN DEP SAID 'NO PROB, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE FOR YOUR FINAL ALT?' I REQUESTED 5000 FT AND THE BAL OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. LINKS IN THE CHAIN OF EVENTS: EXPERIENCE -- I AM A NEW CAPT WITH APPROX 200 HRS AS PIC AND 2000 AS SIC IN THE ATR 42/72. EXPERIENCE -- AS I LATER DISCOVERED, MY FO HAD ABOUT 250 HRS IN THE ATR SINCE BEING HIRED BY THE COMPANY WITH VIRTUALLY NO AIRLINE AND IMC EXPERIENCE PRIOR TO EMPLOYMENT. THE SKY WAS OVCST. UNFAMILIARITY -- ALL OF MY TIME AS PIC HAS BEEN IN THE NE CORRIDOR AS I AM BASED IN EWR. DUE TO THE RECENTLY PUBLISHED AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE PROHIBITING THE ATR FROM FLYING IN KNOWN OR FORECAST ICING CONDITIONS, WE FERRIED THE ATRS FROM EWR TO TX AND FL. THIS WAS MY FIRST FLT OUT OF HOUSTON AFTER FLYING IN ATR IN. AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE -- DUE TO THE RECENTLY PUBLISHED AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE PROHIBITING THE ATR FROM FLYING IN KNOWN OR FORECAST ICING CONDITIONS, I WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH DETERMINING IF WE WERE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE. ADDITIONALLY, DISPATCH WAS CONCERNED AS WELL AND FILED A FINAL ALT THAT WAS ABNORMALLY LOW (3000 FT). WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE? THE PIC SHOULD READ THE ENTIRE PDC ALOUD SO BOTH PLTS CAN HEAR THE PDC WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY READING THE PDC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.