Pilot sets altitude alerter incorrectly and flies through assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	449420
Time
Date	199909
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : abi.vortac
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Duke 60
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	449420
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	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:

I was climbing IFR. Was given FL230 and then switched to another frequency. For some reason I thought I was cleared to FL240 because I had put that in the altitude alerter. I leveled at FL240. The controller asked what altitude I was given. I said FL240 because I had put it in the altitude alerter. I descended to FL230 and stayed there. It would have been good had they caught me just out of FL230 so I could have leveled there. But I was not contacted till level at FL240. I had for some reason filed for FL240. I guess and just had that in my head. Normally if a controller sees altitude deviation, they call 300 ft off. I wasn't very busy, but maybe being high was just overlooked.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT SETS ALT ALERTER INCORRECTLY AND FLIES THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: I WAS CLBING IFR. WAS GIVEN FL230 AND THEN SWITCHED TO ANOTHER FREQ. FOR SOME REASON I THOUGHT I WAS CLRED TO FL240 BECAUSE I HAD PUT THAT IN THE ALT ALERTER. I LEVELED AT FL240. THE CTLR ASKED WHAT ALT I WAS GIVEN. I SAID FL240 BECAUSE I HAD PUT IT IN THE ALT ALERTER. I DSNDED TO FL230 AND STAYED THERE. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD HAD THEY CAUGHT ME JUST OUT OF FL230 SO I COULD HAVE LEVELED THERE. BUT I WAS NOT CONTACTED TILL LEVEL AT FL240. I HAD FOR SOME REASON FILED FOR FL240. I GUESS AND JUST HAD THAT IN MY HEAD. NORMALLY IF A CTLR SEES ALTDEV, THEY CALL 300 FT OFF. I WASN'T VERY BUSY, BUT MAYBE BEING HIGH WAS JUST OVERLOOKED.

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.