Altitude deviation altitude overshot in climb.

Attributes
ACN	254894
Time
Date	199310
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pxr airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phx tower : phx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	254894
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	255036
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On the climb out of the day's first flight, we missed our assigned altitude. The first officer was flying (myself). As we climbed out, I looked up to see 31000 ft set in the altitude window. I remembered seeing what I thought was our initial altitude restr (3000 ft) on the ground. Since I saw 31000 ft set, I assumed that the captain had set it. I couldn't remember if I had read it back and never questioned whether I had. Passing through 11000 ft I remarked that these early morning sunday flts are nice because they give us the high altitudes right away. At that point the captain said he hadn't set 31000 ft. We both looked down to discover that we were still on tower frequency. (Our initial clearance was to 8000 ft.) supplemental information from acn 255036: tower did not switch us to departure control so I asked to switch over. We were climbing through about 10000 ft, when I called departure and I realized we normally were only cleared to 8000 ft. At the same time I saw the altitude set window was set at 31000 ft. Departure control immediately cleared us to the normal 15000 ft upon our chkin and we continued our climb. Apparently the altitude window had been set at 31000 ft since we first pwred the aircraft. There were no traffic conflict.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT IN CLB.

Narrative: ON THE CLBOUT OF THE DAY'S FIRST FLT, WE MISSED OUR ASSIGNED ALT. THE FO WAS FLYING (MYSELF). AS WE CLBED OUT, I LOOKED UP TO SEE 31000 FT SET IN THE ALT WINDOW. I REMEMBERED SEEING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS OUR INITIAL ALT RESTR (3000 FT) ON THE GND. SINCE I SAW 31000 FT SET, I ASSUMED THAT THE CAPT HAD SET IT. I COULDN'T REMEMBER IF I HAD READ IT BACK AND NEVER QUESTIONED WHETHER I HAD. PASSING THROUGH 11000 FT I REMARKED THAT THESE EARLY MORNING SUNDAY FLTS ARE NICE BECAUSE THEY GIVE US THE HIGH ALTS RIGHT AWAY. AT THAT POINT THE CAPT SAID HE HADN'T SET 31000 FT. WE BOTH LOOKED DOWN TO DISCOVER THAT WE WERE STILL ON TWR FREQ. (OUR INITIAL CLRNC WAS TO 8000 FT.) SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 255036: TWR DID NOT SWITCH US TO DEP CTL SO I ASKED TO SWITCH OVER. WE WERE CLBING THROUGH ABOUT 10000 FT, WHEN I CALLED DEP AND I REALIZED WE NORMALLY WERE ONLY CLRED TO 8000 FT. AT THE SAME TIME I SAW THE ALT SET WINDOW WAS SET AT 31000 FT. DEP CTL IMMEDIATELY CLRED US TO THE NORMAL 15000 FT UPON OUR CHKIN AND WE CONTINUED OUR CLB. APPARENTLY THE ALT WINDOW HAD BEEN SET AT 31000 FT SINCE WE FIRST PWRED THE ACFT. THERE WERE NO TFC CONFLICT.

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.