Crew sets altitude alerter incorrectly and overshoots altitude assigned.

Attributes
ACN	447480
Time
Date	199908
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : philly 6
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 3800
ASRS Report	447480
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We had a clearance for the philly 6 departure from phl which has a published standard altitude of 5000 ft. Clearance issued us the SID with an amended altitude of 4000 ft for our short flight to rdg. On departure we accidentally climbed to 5000 ft and departure caught us, taking us back down to 4000 ft. How did this happen? 1) the storm window on my side of the cockpit was slow to seal as we pressurized. I was distracted by the noise and trying to take care of that. 2) the first officer (who was the PF) was brand new with about 100 hours total in the airplane and had never before flown in the northeast. I've caught all his previous mistakes so far, but my company pairs crews together for an entire month. This is the 10TH day I've flown with him and the increased workload is taking a toll. 3) the passenger had been brought to the plane unexpectedly early, causing us to feel rushed during our preflight duties. This resulted in the wrong altitude being set in the altitude alerter. We do this departure all the time to 5000 ft so the misset alerter didn't stand out as being wrong to me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CREW SETS ALT ALERTER INCORRECTLY AND OVERSHOOTS ALT ASSIGNED.

Narrative: WE HAD A CLRNC FOR THE PHILLY 6 DEP FROM PHL WHICH HAS A PUBLISHED STANDARD ALT OF 5000 FT. CLRNC ISSUED US THE SID WITH AN AMENDED ALT OF 4000 FT FOR OUR SHORT FLT TO RDG. ON DEP WE ACCIDENTALLY CLBED TO 5000 FT AND DEP CAUGHT US, TAKING US BACK DOWN TO 4000 FT. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? 1) THE STORM WINDOW ON MY SIDE OF THE COCKPIT WAS SLOW TO SEAL AS WE PRESSURIZED. I WAS DISTRACTED BY THE NOISE AND TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT. 2) THE FO (WHO WAS THE PF) WAS BRAND NEW WITH ABOUT 100 HRS TOTAL IN THE AIRPLANE AND HAD NEVER BEFORE FLOWN IN THE NE. I'VE CAUGHT ALL HIS PREVIOUS MISTAKES SO FAR, BUT MY COMPANY PAIRS CREWS TOGETHER FOR AN ENTIRE MONTH. THIS IS THE 10TH DAY I'VE FLOWN WITH HIM AND THE INCREASED WORKLOAD IS TAKING A TOLL. 3) THE PAX HAD BEEN BROUGHT TO THE PLANE UNEXPECTEDLY EARLY, CAUSING US TO FEEL RUSHED DURING OUR PREFLT DUTIES. THIS RESULTED IN THE WRONG ALT BEING SET IN THE ALT ALERTER. WE DO THIS DEP ALL THE TIME TO 5000 FT SO THE MISSET ALERTER DIDN'T STAND OUT AS BEING WRONG TO ME.

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.