Flight crew sets wrong assigned altitude in altitude alerter. Altitude deviation occurs.

Attributes
ACN	544703
Time
Date	200204
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lan.airport
State Reference	MI
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lan.tracon tower : mkc.tower
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 : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lan.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	IAI1125 (Astra)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	controller limited radar : 8 controller radar : 8 flight time last 90 days : 72 flight time total : 3549 flight time type : 1236
ASRS Report	544703
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : provided flight assist flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route to milwaukee, wi, ATC gave us a clearance to 10000 ft. The first officer (PNF) acknowledged the altitude clearance to 10000 ft. The first officer incorrectly set 11000 ft on the altitude alerter. As the PF, I climbed to 11000 ft as the altitude alerter said. At 11000 ft, ATC inquired about our altitude. We said we were climbing to 11000 ft due to the incorrect altitude alerter. As per our company callouts, when a new altitude is given, the PNF sets the altitude alerter, both pilots point to it and say it out loud. At this time, neither one of us caught the mistake. The altitude alerter reminds us of our assigned altitude. Since the wrong altitude was set, we climbed to the wrong altitude. We had been assigned 10000 ft because another aircraft was overtaking us at 11000 ft. This resulted in both ATC and TCASII traffic alerts. When ATC queried us about our altitude, we were monitoring both communication radios. During departure's first attempt, the PNF thought it was company operations calling us on communication #2. He acknowledged the second attempt. By that time, the astrajet had us in sight and said traffic no factor. Additionally, during all this confusion, the astrajet was given a deviation heading by departure and the PNF acknowledged that assignment. ATC said that wasn't for us and to proceed on course. The astrajet didn't need this heading because he had us insight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC SETS WRONG ASSIGNED ALT IN ALT ALERTER. ALTDEV OCCURS.

Narrative: ENRTE TO MILWAUKEE, WI, ATC GAVE US A CLRNC TO 10000 FT. THE FO (PNF) ACKNOWLEDGED THE ALT CLRNC TO 10000 FT. THE FO INCORRECTLY SET 11000 FT ON THE ALT ALERTER. AS THE PF, I CLBED TO 11000 FT AS THE ALT ALERTER SAID. AT 11000 FT, ATC INQUIRED ABOUT OUR ALT. WE SAID WE WERE CLBING TO 11000 FT DUE TO THE INCORRECT ALT ALERTER. AS PER OUR COMPANY CALLOUTS, WHEN A NEW ALT IS GIVEN, THE PNF SETS THE ALT ALERTER, BOTH PLTS POINT TO IT AND SAY IT OUT LOUD. AT THIS TIME, NEITHER ONE OF US CAUGHT THE MISTAKE. THE ALT ALERTER REMINDS US OF OUR ASSIGNED ALT. SINCE THE WRONG ALT WAS SET, WE CLBED TO THE WRONG ALT. WE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED 10000 FT BECAUSE ANOTHER ACFT WAS OVERTAKING US AT 11000 FT. THIS RESULTED IN BOTH ATC AND TCASII TFC ALERTS. WHEN ATC QUERIED US ABOUT OUR ALT, WE WERE MONITORING BOTH COM RADIOS. DURING DEP'S FIRST ATTEMPT, THE PNF THOUGHT IT WAS COMPANY OPS CALLING US ON COM #2. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE SECOND ATTEMPT. BY THAT TIME, THE ASTRAJET HAD US IN SIGHT AND SAID TFC NO FACTOR. ADDITIONALLY, DURING ALL THIS CONFUSION, THE ASTRAJET WAS GIVEN A DEV HDG BY DEP AND THE PNF ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ASSIGNMENT. ATC SAID THAT WASN'T FOR US AND TO PROCEED ON COURSE. THE ASTRAJET DIDN'T NEED THIS HDG BECAUSE HE HAD US INSIGHT.

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.