Narrative:

Cleared to acy, SID departure, climb and maintain 3000', contact departure 119.75, squawk. Captain brought power levers forward. I rotated and climbed out. After takeoff, checklist was completed. Captain called operations frequency to give our off times. He also handled ATC. He requested direct atlantic city and we were told 'leaving 2000', proceed direct acy.' I climbed to 3000' and proceeded direct. At 3000' captain looked at altimeter and said, 'what are we doing at 3?' my bug on altimeter was on 3000, and I've always gone to 3000' from phl direct acy. When he checked with ATC, ATC said, 'you're supposed to maintain 2000'; get back down to 2.' 'is there traffic conflict?' ATC said, 'no, just maintain 2000; there's an air carrier medium large transport at 3000'.' we got down to 2000' and nothing further was said. I never heard ATC say, 'maintain 2000'.' supplemental information from acn 157161: tower amended initial departure altitude form 3000 to 2000'. I acknowledged the amendment. I understood the PF to be in agreement. At 2000' we began a level-off. I expected this to be our final altitude. I left the frequency for a short period (approximately 30 seconds). When I returned to the frequency I noticed we were leveling off at 3000'. Contributing factors: no altitude alerter, no system of altitude callouts, extended duty periods, redundant clrncs, first officer difficulty with english.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT ALT OVERSHOT IN CLIMB.

Narrative: CLRED TO ACY, SID DEP, CLB AND MAINTAIN 3000', CONTACT DEP 119.75, SQUAWK. CAPT BROUGHT PWR LEVERS FORWARD. I ROTATED AND CLBED OUT. AFTER TKOF, CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED. CAPT CALLED OPS FREQ TO GIVE OUR OFF TIMES. HE ALSO HANDLED ATC. HE REQUESTED DIRECT ATLANTIC CITY AND WE WERE TOLD 'LEAVING 2000', PROCEED DIRECT ACY.' I CLBED TO 3000' AND PROCEEDED DIRECT. AT 3000' CAPT LOOKED AT ALTIMETER AND SAID, 'WHAT ARE WE DOING AT 3?' MY BUG ON ALTIMETER WAS ON 3000, AND I'VE ALWAYS GONE TO 3000' FROM PHL DIRECT ACY. WHEN HE CHKED WITH ATC, ATC SAID, 'YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO MAINTAIN 2000'; GET BACK DOWN TO 2.' 'IS THERE TFC CONFLICT?' ATC SAID, 'NO, JUST MAINTAIN 2000; THERE'S AN ACR MLG AT 3000'.' WE GOT DOWN TO 2000' AND NOTHING FURTHER WAS SAID. I NEVER HEARD ATC SAY, 'MAINTAIN 2000'.' SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 157161: TWR AMENDED INITIAL DEP ALT FORM 3000 TO 2000'. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE AMENDMENT. I UNDERSTOOD THE PF TO BE IN AGREEMENT. AT 2000' WE BEGAN A LEVEL-OFF. I EXPECTED THIS TO BE OUR FINAL ALT. I LEFT THE FREQ FOR A SHORT PERIOD (APPROX 30 SECS). WHEN I RETURNED TO THE FREQ I NOTICED WE WERE LEVELING OFF AT 3000'. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: NO ALT ALERTER, NO SYS OF ALT CALLOUTS, EXTENDED DUTY PERIODS, REDUNDANT CLRNCS, F/O DIFFICULTY WITH ENGLISH.

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.