The flight crew had to cycle the altitude alerter through many altitudes before the warning would si...

Attributes
ACN	326950
Time
Date	199601
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 3619 flight time type : 2137
ASRS Report	326950
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

This flight was the first in a series of early morning departures, (show at xa:00 am EST). On climb out from dtw, the first officer was flying. At approximately 12000 ft MSL, the altitude alerter began to sound aurally. This was obviously in error because we were well below our assigned altitude. After dialing the alerter down a few thousand ft to reset it, I placed it on 16000 ft, which I understood was our assigned altitude to climb to. At 16000 ft, the first officer leveled the aircraft. Center controller asked if we were at 16000 ft and I replied 'affirmative, leveling 1-6 thousand.' the controller then replied, 'ok, maintain 1-6 thousand, altimeter...' (setting not recalled). It was this remark that led us to believe we could have possibly been cleared only to a lower altitude than 16000 ft. Neither myself or the first officer could recall being assigned a different altitude, or even being assigned 16000 ft, even though it is our normal cruise altitude and it was set in the altitude alert device. Because the controller told us to maintain 1-6 thousand, no corrective action was necessary. An inconsistent altitude alert device, lack of quality crew rest, or simple pilot error are possible causes of this incident, if in fact any incident actually occurred. It is possible that 16000 ft was our assigned altitude and no error was made.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE FLC HAD TO CYCLE THE ALT ALERTER THROUGH MANY ALTS BEFORE THE WARNING WOULD SILENCE. THE RPTR RESET THE ALT ALERTER TO WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS HIS ASSIGNED ALT BUT COULD NOT BE SURE.

Narrative: THIS FLT WAS THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF EARLY MORNING DEPS, (SHOW AT XA:00 AM EST). ON CLB OUT FROM DTW, THE FO WAS FLYING. AT APPROX 12000 FT MSL, THE ALT ALERTER BEGAN TO SOUND AURALLY. THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY IN ERROR BECAUSE WE WERE WELL BELOW OUR ASSIGNED ALT. AFTER DIALING THE ALERTER DOWN A FEW THOUSAND FT TO RESET IT, I PLACED IT ON 16000 FT, WHICH I UNDERSTOOD WAS OUR ASSIGNED ALT TO CLB TO. AT 16000 FT, THE FO LEVELED THE ACFT. CTR CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE AT 16000 FT AND I REPLIED 'AFFIRMATIVE, LEVELING 1-6 THOUSAND.' THE CTLR THEN REPLIED, 'OK, MAINTAIN 1-6 THOUSAND, ALTIMETER...' (SETTING NOT RECALLED). IT WAS THIS REMARK THAT LED US TO BELIEVE WE COULD HAVE POSSIBLY BEEN CLRED ONLY TO A LOWER ALT THAN 16000 FT. NEITHER MYSELF OR THE FO COULD RECALL BEING ASSIGNED A DIFFERENT ALT, OR EVEN BEING ASSIGNED 16000 FT, EVEN THOUGH IT IS OUR NORMAL CRUISE ALT AND IT WAS SET IN THE ALT ALERT DEVICE. BECAUSE THE CTLR TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 1-6 THOUSAND, NO CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS NECESSARY. AN INCONSISTENT ALT ALERT DEVICE, LACK OF QUALITY CREW REST, OR SIMPLE PLT ERROR ARE POSSIBLE CAUSES OF THIS INCIDENT, IF IN FACT ANY INCIDENT ACTUALLY OCCURRED. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT 16000 FT WAS OUR ASSIGNED ALT AND NO ERROR WAS MADE.

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.

The flight crew had to cycle the altitude alerter through many altitudes before the warning would silence. The reporter reset the altitude alerter to what he thought was his assigned altitude but could not be sure.