Narrative:

Overshot assigned altitude. Wrong altitude was set in altitude alert window. Altitude alert system was located next to the compass and altitude indicator in the first officer's instrument panel. After leveling at 13000', 160 degree heading, the captain asked me to give the en route public address announcement to the passenger. While preparing for the passenger announcement, new york assigned a heading of 200 degrees and altitude of 16000'. I set 200 degree in my course selector and, while still thinking of a passenger announcement, set '200' in the altitude alert window. Shortly after finishing the passenger announcement at about 17000' new york called and directed us to level at 16000'. Contributing factors: non-standard cockpit. This major airline has 17 versions of the large transport. This aircraft was the X model, of which it has 2 aircraft. The X version has the altitude alert system on the first officer's instrument panel just left of the compass and attitude indicator. Most aircraft I have flown, the altitude alert system is on the captain's side or on the center panel and uses a small crank to change altitude reminders. This device used a knob similar in use to a course knob on the compass. I had not seen this altitude alert device before and the captain did not catch the incorrect reminder (it is out of his direct scan). Conflicting duties--I should not have been occupied with the passenger announcement until at final cruise altitude. During intermediate level-off's and climbs I should be monitoring flight progress. The captain and I discussed this later and he agrees. New in the airplane, less than 100 hours in type and less than 7 weeks on the line--and each cockpit seems different.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF LGT FLT CREW SET WRONG ALT IN ALT ALERT WINDOW.

Narrative: OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT. WRONG ALT WAS SET IN ALT ALERT WINDOW. ALT ALERT SYS WAS LOCATED NEXT TO THE COMPASS AND ALT INDICATOR IN THE F/O'S INSTRUMENT PANEL. AFTER LEVELING AT 13000', 160 DEG HDG, THE CAPT ASKED ME TO GIVE THE ENRTE PUBLIC ADDRESS ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX. WHILE PREPARING FOR THE PAX ANNOUNCEMENT, NEW YORK ASSIGNED A HDG OF 200 DEGS AND ALT OF 16000'. I SET 200 DEG IN MY COURSE SELECTOR AND, WHILE STILL THINKING OF A PAX ANNOUNCEMENT, SET '200' IN THE ALT ALERT WINDOW. SHORTLY AFTER FINISHING THE PAX ANNOUNCEMENT AT ABOUT 17000' NEW YORK CALLED AND DIRECTED US TO LEVEL AT 16000'. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: NON-STANDARD COCKPIT. THIS MAJOR AIRLINE HAS 17 VERSIONS OF THE LGT. THIS ACFT WAS THE X MODEL, OF WHICH IT HAS 2 ACFT. THE X VERSION HAS THE ALT ALERT SYS ON THE F/O'S INSTRUMENT PANEL JUST LEFT OF THE COMPASS AND ATTITUDE INDICATOR. MOST ACFT I HAVE FLOWN, THE ALT ALERT SYS IS ON THE CAPT'S SIDE OR ON THE CENTER PANEL AND USES A SMALL CRANK TO CHANGE ALT REMINDERS. THIS DEVICE USED A KNOB SIMILAR IN USE TO A COURSE KNOB ON THE COMPASS. I HAD NOT SEEN THIS ALT ALERT DEVICE BEFORE AND THE CAPT DID NOT CATCH THE INCORRECT REMINDER (IT IS OUT OF HIS DIRECT SCAN). CONFLICTING DUTIES--I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN OCCUPIED WITH THE PAX ANNOUNCEMENT UNTIL AT FINAL CRUISE ALT. DURING INTERMEDIATE LEVEL-OFF'S AND CLBS I SHOULD BE MONITORING FLT PROGRESS. THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED THIS LATER AND HE AGREES. NEW IN THE AIRPLANE, LESS THAN 100 HRS IN TYPE AND LESS THAN 7 WKS ON THE LINE--AND EACH COCKPIT SEEMS DIFFERENT.

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.