Narrative:

Prior to departure; I copied the clearance from ground control as radar vectors to eon then as filed; climb to 3000 ft. I believed that I had set 3000 ft in the altitude pre-selector; although the facts later indicate that I must have set 5000 ft. I have no good explanation for this error. Both pilots reviewed the handwritten clearance prior to engine start; but failed to catch the error in the pre-selector. We normally brief the takeoff prior to departure; including initial altitude and we should have caught the mistake then. We were given a takeoff clearance on runway 9 along with an initial heading of 180 degrees after takeoff. Initial takeoff and departure was normal except that the aircraft climb performance was greater than normal (light weight takeoff); and that we were concerned for GA traffic in the area. Tower handed us off to departure control as we were climbing through approximately 2000 ft MSL. I made my initial call to departure control passing approximately 2500 ft MSL (we had been climbing at over 2000 FPM; but the captain had begun to shallow the climb somewhat). I reported to ATC that we were passing 2500 ft for 5000 ft (I was reading the altitude from the altitude pre-selector). After that radio call; it triggered in my mind that the 5000 ft was not the right altitude; but by the time I was able to resolve the discrepancy; we were already passing through 3000 ft. Approximately 10 seconds later at approximately 3400 ft MSL; the TCAS gave us an RA command to descend which we complied with immediately. Supplemental information from acn 702462: I got in the aircraft and briefed the departure on the ramp prior to engine start. I briefed the altitude (5000 ft) 2 separate times at the ramp and prior to takeoff without the co-captain acknowledging the mistake. Departed runway 9 and right turn to 180 degrees after departure. As I was climbing through 2800 ft MSL the controller pointed out traffic 2 O'clock position and 1 mi. We got an RA (descend) as I was climbing through 3200 ft and I began a descent as the B757 was climbing due to an RA to climb. The controller came back on the radio to inquire. 3 ways to have prevented this pilot deviation: 1) both pilots in cockpit listening to clearance. 2) PF should have looked at paper where clearance was written (it was on dash out of sight). 3) during takeoff clearance from the tower; the pilot operating the radios should confirm climbing right turn to 180 degrees to 3000 ft or 5000 ft which was set improperly. 4) no distrs such as cell phones in cockpit. 5) there have been numerous recommendations regarding safety concerns with the mdw arrs at 4000 ft and the lot 3000 ft departures during summer months with high aviation activity.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SAAB 2000 FLT CREW HAS AN ALTDEV AND TCAS RA DURING DEP.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEP; I COPIED THE CLRNC FROM GND CTL AS RADAR VECTORS TO EON THEN AS FILED; CLB TO 3000 FT. I BELIEVED THAT I HAD SET 3000 FT IN THE ALT PRE-SELECTOR; ALTHOUGH THE FACTS LATER INDICATE THAT I MUST HAVE SET 5000 FT. I HAVE NO GOOD EXPLANATION FOR THIS ERROR. BOTH PLTS REVIEWED THE HANDWRITTEN CLRNC PRIOR TO ENG START; BUT FAILED TO CATCH THE ERROR IN THE PRE-SELECTOR. WE NORMALLY BRIEF THE TKOF PRIOR TO DEP; INCLUDING INITIAL ALT AND WE SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THE MISTAKE THEN. WE WERE GIVEN A TKOF CLRNC ON RWY 9 ALONG WITH AN INITIAL HDG OF 180 DEGS AFTER TKOF. INITIAL TKOF AND DEP WAS NORMAL EXCEPT THAT THE ACFT CLB PERFORMANCE WAS GREATER THAN NORMAL (LIGHT WT TKOF); AND THAT WE WERE CONCERNED FOR GA TFC IN THE AREA. TWR HANDED US OFF TO DEP CTL AS WE WERE CLBING THROUGH APPROX 2000 FT MSL. I MADE MY INITIAL CALL TO DEP CTL PASSING APPROX 2500 FT MSL (WE HAD BEEN CLBING AT OVER 2000 FPM; BUT THE CAPT HAD BEGUN TO SHALLOW THE CLB SOMEWHAT). I RPTED TO ATC THAT WE WERE PASSING 2500 FT FOR 5000 FT (I WAS READING THE ALT FROM THE ALT PRE-SELECTOR). AFTER THAT RADIO CALL; IT TRIGGERED IN MY MIND THAT THE 5000 FT WAS NOT THE RIGHT ALT; BUT BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO RESOLVE THE DISCREPANCY; WE WERE ALREADY PASSING THROUGH 3000 FT. APPROX 10 SECONDS LATER AT APPROX 3400 FT MSL; THE TCAS GAVE US AN RA COMMAND TO DSND WHICH WE COMPLIED WITH IMMEDIATELY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 702462: I GOT IN THE ACFT AND BRIEFED THE DEP ON THE RAMP PRIOR TO ENG START. I BRIEFED THE ALT (5000 FT) 2 SEPARATE TIMES AT THE RAMP AND PRIOR TO TKOF WITHOUT THE CO-CAPT ACKNOWLEDGING THE MISTAKE. DEPARTED RWY 9 AND R TURN TO 180 DEGS AFTER DEP. AS I WAS CLBING THROUGH 2800 FT MSL THE CTLR POINTED OUT TFC 2 O'CLOCK POS AND 1 MI. WE GOT AN RA (DSND) AS I WAS CLBING THROUGH 3200 FT AND I BEGAN A DSCNT AS THE B757 WAS CLBING DUE TO AN RA TO CLB. THE CTLR CAME BACK ON THE RADIO TO INQUIRE. 3 WAYS TO HAVE PREVENTED THIS PLTDEV: 1) BOTH PLTS IN COCKPIT LISTENING TO CLRNC. 2) PF SHOULD HAVE LOOKED AT PAPER WHERE CLRNC WAS WRITTEN (IT WAS ON DASH OUT OF SIGHT). 3) DURING TKOF CLRNC FROM THE TWR; THE PLT OPERATING THE RADIOS SHOULD CONFIRM CLBING R TURN TO 180 DEGS TO 3000 FT OR 5000 FT WHICH WAS SET IMPROPERLY. 4) NO DISTRS SUCH AS CELL PHONES IN COCKPIT. 5) THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING SAFETY CONCERNS WITH THE MDW ARRS AT 4000 FT AND THE LOT 3000 FT DEPS DURING SUMMER MONTHS WITH HIGH AVIATION ACTIVITY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.