Narrative:

Flight lga-mia, was my leg. Our original clearance was the lga 3 departure coney climb, 5000'. On our initial contact with ny departure clipper 231 was cleared to 12000' and then subsequently cleared to 17000'. During our climb out our spacing with the aircraft in front of us became tight. We were restr to 250 KIAS until further advised. We were then passed to ZNY. Center directed us to turn 040 degrees right of course to a heading of 275 degrees due to aircraft spacing. At that time, another aircraft reported hearing an ELT on 121.5. ZNY asked us if we would mind tuning in 121.5 and listening for the ELT. The captain was handling the radios this leg and responded to ZNY that he would oblige. At this point, the F/a came in to take breakfast orders, the captain was listening to the ELT, ATC issued another clearance to turn left to a heading of 190 degrees and the F/east was performing company paperwork. I responded to ATC. ATC came back and cleared us direct to coyle VOR. In the background of all the cockpit commotion I heard what sounded like a SELCAL. In actuality, it was the altitude alert; we were approaching 17000', our level off altitude. Unfortunately, I nor anyone else on the flight deck recognized this chime as altitude alert, as it is not only different in sound that those of our other 17 different large transport models, but also different in cockpit placement and the altitude in which it alerts prior to your assigned altitude. (Most altitude alerts chime at 1000' prior, 300' prior and 300' past the altitude selected. This particular model chimed at 500' prior and after.) ATC then cleared us to FL240. By that time, I was at FL180. I had climbed 1000' past my altitude. The factors and distrs that contributed to this incident were: 1) a number of requests from ATC, 2) the captain listening to the ELT, 3) the F/a in the cockpit during climb out, 4) the F/east not being in the loop, and 5) the different tone for the altitude alert.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW BUSTS ALT IN CLIMB CLAIMING TOO MANY DISTRS AND NON STANDARD TYPE ALT ALERT.

Narrative: FLT LGA-MIA, WAS MY LEG. OUR ORIGINAL CLRNC WAS THE LGA 3 DEP CONEY CLB, 5000'. ON OUR INITIAL CONTACT WITH NY DEP CLIPPER 231 WAS CLRED TO 12000' AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED TO 17000'. DURING OUR CLBOUT OUR SPACING WITH THE ACFT IN FRONT OF US BECAME TIGHT. WE WERE RESTR TO 250 KIAS UNTIL FURTHER ADVISED. WE WERE THEN PASSED TO ZNY. CENTER DIRECTED US TO TURN 040 DEGS RIGHT OF COURSE TO A HDG OF 275 DEGS DUE TO ACFT SPACING. AT THAT TIME, ANOTHER ACFT RPTED HEARING AN ELT ON 121.5. ZNY ASKED US IF WE WOULD MIND TUNING IN 121.5 AND LISTENING FOR THE ELT. THE CAPT WAS HANDLING THE RADIOS THIS LEG AND RESPONDED TO ZNY THAT HE WOULD OBLIGE. AT THIS POINT, THE F/A CAME IN TO TAKE BREAKFAST ORDERS, THE CAPT WAS LISTENING TO THE ELT, ATC ISSUED ANOTHER CLRNC TO TURN LEFT TO A HDG OF 190 DEGS AND THE F/E WAS PERFORMING COMPANY PAPERWORK. I RESPONDED TO ATC. ATC CAME BACK AND CLRED US DIRECT TO COYLE VOR. IN THE BACKGROUND OF ALL THE COCKPIT COMMOTION I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A SELCAL. IN ACTUALITY, IT WAS THE ALT ALERT; WE WERE APCHING 17000', OUR LEVEL OFF ALT. UNFORTUNATELY, I NOR ANYONE ELSE ON THE FLT DECK RECOGNIZED THIS CHIME AS ALT ALERT, AS IT IS NOT ONLY DIFFERENT IN SOUND THAT THOSE OF OUR OTHER 17 DIFFERENT LGT MODELS, BUT ALSO DIFFERENT IN COCKPIT PLACEMENT AND THE ALT IN WHICH IT ALERTS PRIOR TO YOUR ASSIGNED ALT. (MOST ALT ALERTS CHIME AT 1000' PRIOR, 300' PRIOR AND 300' PAST THE ALT SELECTED. THIS PARTICULAR MODEL CHIMED AT 500' PRIOR AND AFTER.) ATC THEN CLRED US TO FL240. BY THAT TIME, I WAS AT FL180. I HAD CLBED 1000' PAST MY ALT. THE FACTORS AND DISTRS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT WERE: 1) A NUMBER OF REQUESTS FROM ATC, 2) THE CAPT LISTENING TO THE ELT, 3) THE F/A IN THE COCKPIT DURING CLBOUT, 4) THE F/E NOT BEING IN THE LOOP, AND 5) THE DIFFERENT TONE FOR THE ALT ALERT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.