Narrative:

As the PNF I obtained the clearance and wrote down and read back our altitude restrictions of 2500' and expect FL410 in 10 mins. At that time I was distracted by our passenger arriving and contrary to normal procedures I did not set the altitude alerter to 2500'. We ran the checklists in a rush. On the alerter item I apparently saw and stated out loud 5000'. This did not set off any mental alarms because most of our departures have an initial altitude of 5000'. We continued the checklist and reaching the hold short line monitored tower. We then engaged in a discussion of obstruction clearance on departure and were setting up the navigation radios to track the localizer in case of engine failure. We departed and both the copilot and I were locked into climbing to 5000'. On departure we were turned over to cincinnati departure and I made my initial call. I believe I called in at 3500', climbing to 5000'. At that point the controller told us to go back to 2500' and then changed that to maintain 4000'. The controller asked what altitude we had been cleared to and I stated 5000'. Right after that I knew that I had made an error and should have leveled at 2500'.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT FLT CREW FAIL TO CHECK ALT ALERTER SETTING AND EXCEED ALT REST ON TKOF BY 2500' BEFORE ATC INTERCEDES.

Narrative: AS THE PNF I OBTAINED THE CLRNC AND WROTE DOWN AND READ BACK OUR ALT RESTRICTIONS OF 2500' AND EXPECT FL410 IN 10 MINS. AT THAT TIME I WAS DISTRACTED BY OUR PAX ARRIVING AND CONTRARY TO NORMAL PROCS I DID NOT SET THE ALT ALERTER TO 2500'. WE RAN THE CHECKLISTS IN A RUSH. ON THE ALERTER ITEM I APPARENTLY SAW AND STATED OUT LOUD 5000'. THIS DID NOT SET OFF ANY MENTAL ALARMS BECAUSE MOST OF OUR DEPS HAVE AN INITIAL ALT OF 5000'. WE CONTINUED THE CHECKLIST AND REACHING THE HOLD SHORT LINE MONITORED TWR. WE THEN ENGAGED IN A DISCUSSION OF OBSTRUCTION CLRNC ON DEP AND WERE SETTING UP THE NAV RADIOS TO TRACK THE LOC IN CASE OF ENGINE FAILURE. WE DEPARTED AND BOTH THE COPLT AND I WERE LOCKED INTO CLIMBING TO 5000'. ON DEP WE WERE TURNED OVER TO CINCINNATI DEP AND I MADE MY INITIAL CALL. I BELIEVE I CALLED IN AT 3500', CLIMBING TO 5000'. AT THAT POINT THE CTLR TOLD US TO GO BACK TO 2500' AND THEN CHANGED THAT TO MAINTAIN 4000'. THE CTLR ASKED WHAT ALT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO AND I STATED 5000'. RIGHT AFTER THAT I KNEW THAT I HAD MADE AN ERROR AND SHOULD HAVE LEVELED AT 2500'.

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.