Narrative:

Flight began with myself receiving ATC IFR clearance. Set transponder code and departure frequency. Due to location of altitude preselect in mdt aircraft (to the left of center panel, on captain's panel) and the hurried state of getting underway, I missed setting initial altitude (4000 ft). 3000 ft had been previously set, and due to quick taxi from parking spot to departure end of runway (100 yards approximately), departure briefing was hurried and initial altitude was missed during brief. Captain as PF performed takeoff and climbed to 3000 ft and leveled. Washington departure states that we were cleared to 4000 ft per clearance, should not be at 3000 ft and should climb to 4000 ft at this time. Captain acknowledges and climbs to 4000 ft. No conflicts occurred and conditions were clear and visibility unlimited. I believe this reinforces a design flaw in the mdt aircraft whereas the altitude preselect is located so that it is basically out of reach to the first officer. It is located so that most anytime an altitude is selected, the captain performs the task, thus removing the first officer from the confirmation of altitude changes loop. Plus, it sets up the scenario which occurred to us where unless the captain confirms altitudes, it may never be properly set. This altitude preselect should be located in the middle of the instrument panel where it is readily in reach of both pilots. (We operate mdt series aircraft only.)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR NEGLECTS TO SET CLRED ALT IN ALT PRESELECT. ALTDEV.

Narrative: FLT BEGAN WITH MYSELF RECEIVING ATC IFR CLRNC. SET XPONDER CODE AND DEP FREQ. DUE TO LOCATION OF ALT PRESELECT IN MDT ACFT (TO THE L OF CTR PANEL, ON CAPT'S PANEL) AND THE HURRIED STATE OF GETTING UNDERWAY, I MISSED SETTING INITIAL ALT (4000 FT). 3000 FT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY SET, AND DUE TO QUICK TAXI FROM PARKING SPOT TO DEP END OF RWY (100 YARDS APPROX), DEP BRIEFING WAS HURRIED AND INITIAL ALT WAS MISSED DURING BRIEF. CAPT AS PF PERFORMED TKOF AND CLBED TO 3000 FT AND LEVELED. WASHINGTON DEP STATES THAT WE WERE CLRED TO 4000 FT PER CLRNC, SHOULD NOT BE AT 3000 FT AND SHOULD CLB TO 4000 FT AT THIS TIME. CAPT ACKNOWLEDGES AND CLBS TO 4000 FT. NO CONFLICTS OCCURRED AND CONDITIONS WERE CLR AND VISIBILITY UNLIMITED. I BELIEVE THIS REINFORCES A DESIGN FLAW IN THE MDT ACFT WHEREAS THE ALT PRESELECT IS LOCATED SO THAT IT IS BASICALLY OUT OF REACH TO THE FO. IT IS LOCATED SO THAT MOST ANYTIME AN ALT IS SELECTED, THE CAPT PERFORMS THE TASK, THUS REMOVING THE FO FROM THE CONFIRMATION OF ALT CHANGES LOOP. PLUS, IT SETS UP THE SCENARIO WHICH OCCURRED TO US WHERE UNLESS THE CAPT CONFIRMS ALTS, IT MAY NEVER BE PROPERLY SET. THIS ALT PRESELECT SHOULD BE LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INST PANEL WHERE IT IS READILY IN REACH OF BOTH PLTS. (WE OPERATE MDT SERIES ACFT ONLY.)

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.