Narrative:

We received our clearance via ACARS/pre departure clearance at orlando international airport, which clearly stated 'mccoy 2 departure, maintain 5000 ft' etc... We then put 12000 ft in the altitude alerter in error. We were cleared for takeoff, told to fly heading 140 degrees. After takeoff, tower switched us to departure late, I think I checked in with 'leaving 8000 ft 12000 ft.' departure control asked us how we got 12000 ft and we then rechked the ACARS and saw 5000 ft assigned. I called the ATC supervisor in mco after our arrival at our destination (dca), and found out there had been no conflict. I was complacent in this incident, and have no one to blame but myself. The WX was good, the first officer an excellent pilot (with more experience in the particular aircraft then me), a simple departure procedure, all contributed to a less than vigilant attitude. I learned once again that you can never relax in this business until you leave the airport. Supplemental information from acn 229022. Our outbound aircraft arrived at the gate just 20 mins prior to scheduled departure. Upon completion of my walk around, the boarding process had already begun, so I quickly requested a clearance via ACARS. I set the proper squawk and departure frequency and observed that we had a 250 KT restriction until advised by ATC. The captain and I discussed how they generally restrict you to 250 KTS until out of 12000 ft. I set 12000 ft in the FMS and also in the altitude alerter (incorrectly because the clearance was to 5000 ft not 12000 ft). We both reviewed the clearance and the departure both of which listed 5000 ft as the initial climb altitude, but somehow we were both fixated on the speed restriction and the fact that it was usually lifted at 12000 ft. We kept saying to each other the initial altitude was 12000 ft and never realized that this was the incorrect altitude. We were cleared for takeoff and at our takeoff weight of about 106000 pounds the aircraft climbed at more than 4000 FPM. I feel that a number of things contributed to the excursion but I think the most important factors were, we were in a hurry, that we fixated on the speed restriction (and the fact that it is usually rescinded at 12000 ft), that the tower did not switch us to departure quickly enough. I still cannot believe I could make such a stupid mistake!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED OUR CLRNC VIA ACARS/PDC AT ORLANDO INTL ARPT, WHICH CLRLY STATED 'MCCOY 2 DEP, MAINTAIN 5000 FT' ETC... WE THEN PUT 12000 FT IN THE ALT ALERTER IN ERROR. WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF, TOLD TO FLY HDG 140 DEGS. AFTER TKOF, TWR SWITCHED US TO DEP LATE, I THINK I CHKED IN WITH 'LEAVING 8000 FT 12000 FT.' DEP CTL ASKED US HOW WE GOT 12000 FT AND WE THEN RECHKED THE ACARS AND SAW 5000 FT ASSIGNED. I CALLED THE ATC SUPVR IN MCO AFTER OUR ARR AT OUR DEST (DCA), AND FOUND OUT THERE HAD BEEN NO CONFLICT. I WAS COMPLACENT IN THIS INCIDENT, AND HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME BUT MYSELF. THE WX WAS GOOD, THE FO AN EXCELLENT PLT (WITH MORE EXPERIENCE IN THE PARTICULAR ACFT THEN ME), A SIMPLE DEP PROC, ALL CONTRIBUTED TO A LESS THAN VIGILANT ATTITUDE. I LEARNED ONCE AGAIN THAT YOU CAN NEVER RELAX IN THIS BUSINESS UNTIL YOU LEAVE THE ARPT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 229022. OUR OUTBOUND ACFT ARRIVED AT THE GATE JUST 20 MINS PRIOR TO SCHEDULED DEP. UPON COMPLETION OF MY WALK AROUND, THE BOARDING PROCESS HAD ALREADY BEGUN, SO I QUICKLY REQUESTED A CLRNC VIA ACARS. I SET THE PROPER SQUAWK AND DEP FREQ AND OBSERVED THAT WE HAD A 250 KT RESTRICTION UNTIL ADVISED BY ATC. THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED HOW THEY GENERALLY RESTRICT YOU TO 250 KTS UNTIL OUT OF 12000 FT. I SET 12000 FT IN THE FMS AND ALSO IN THE ALT ALERTER (INCORRECTLY BECAUSE THE CLRNC WAS TO 5000 FT NOT 12000 FT). WE BOTH REVIEWED THE CLRNC AND THE DEP BOTH OF WHICH LISTED 5000 FT AS THE INITIAL CLB ALT, BUT SOMEHOW WE WERE BOTH FIXATED ON THE SPD RESTRICTION AND THE FACT THAT IT WAS USUALLY LIFTED AT 12000 FT. WE KEPT SAYING TO EACH OTHER THE INITIAL ALT WAS 12000 FT AND NEVER REALIZED THAT THIS WAS THE INCORRECT ALT. WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF AND AT OUR TKOF WT OF ABOUT 106000 POUNDS THE ACFT CLBED AT MORE THAN 4000 FPM. I FEEL THAT A NUMBER OF THINGS CONTRIBUTED TO THE EXCURSION BUT I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS WERE, WE WERE IN A HURRY, THAT WE FIXATED ON THE SPD RESTRICTION (AND THE FACT THAT IT IS USUALLY RESCINDED AT 12000 FT), THAT THE TWR DID NOT SWITCH US TO DEP QUICKLY ENOUGH. I STILL CANNOT BELIEVE I COULD MAKE SUCH A STUPID MISTAKE!

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.