Narrative:

During the boarding process and cockpit setup, a distraught non-revenue flight attendant came into the cockpit in tears over a denied boarding situation involving herself and the gate agent. While I and a gate supervisor tried to rectify the situation (amid great anxiety by the flight attendant), the first officer was trying to copy clrncs over the radio and complete the cockpit setup. Everyone was concerned about an on-time push which was now being threatened by this situation. We finally got it resolved and the first officer and I completed checklists expeditiously to push back. As we taxied out, I queried the first officer on the 4000 ft initial altitude assignment. Normally it is 3000 ft here. He answered with great assurance that it was indeed 4000 ft. Long story short, we indeed busted the altitude on departure. The altitude that the first officer had actually received from clearance delivery was actually 2000 ft. He even had it written down! But neither he or I checked it on the taxi-out. He admitted later that he must have gotten 4000 ft on the brain. You see, during the conflab in the cockpit, he misunderstood the departure frequency that clearance delivery read him -- 'all correct except department frequency 118.4 instead of 118.2.' lesson learned: both pilots should review and understand all clrncs, if in doubt at all, get a repeat clearance. If something breaks out in the cockpit that could be distracting during ground operations, try to get it out of the cockpit. Take it out on the jetway if necessary. Once the passenger door is closed, pick a pace in the cockpit that is comfortable for both pilots to insure that all checklists and procedures are accomplished properly. Slow down if necessary and forget the schedule.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT IN ACR DEP PROC.

Narrative: DURING THE BOARDING PROCESS AND COCKPIT SETUP, A DISTRAUGHT NON-REVENUE FLT ATTENDANT CAME INTO THE COCKPIT IN TEARS OVER A DENIED BOARDING SIT INVOLVING HERSELF AND THE GATE AGENT. WHILE I AND A GATE SUPVR TRIED TO RECTIFY THE SIT (AMID GREAT ANXIETY BY THE FLT ATTENDANT), THE FO WAS TRYING TO COPY CLRNCS OVER THE RADIO AND COMPLETE THE COCKPIT SETUP. EVERYONE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT AN ON-TIME PUSH WHICH WAS NOW BEING THREATENED BY THIS SIT. WE FINALLY GOT IT RESOLVED AND THE FO AND I COMPLETED CHKLISTS EXPEDITIOUSLY TO PUSH BACK. AS WE TAXIED OUT, I QUERIED THE FO ON THE 4000 FT INITIAL ALT ASSIGNMENT. NORMALLY IT IS 3000 FT HERE. HE ANSWERED WITH GREAT ASSURANCE THAT IT WAS INDEED 4000 FT. LONG STORY SHORT, WE INDEED BUSTED THE ALT ON DEP. THE ALT THAT THE FO HAD ACTUALLY RECEIVED FROM CLRNC DELIVERY WAS ACTUALLY 2000 FT. HE EVEN HAD IT WRITTEN DOWN! BUT NEITHER HE OR I CHKED IT ON THE TAXI-OUT. HE ADMITTED LATER THAT HE MUST HAVE GOTTEN 4000 FT ON THE BRAIN. YOU SEE, DURING THE CONFLAB IN THE COCKPIT, HE MISUNDERSTOOD THE DEP FREQ THAT CLRNC DELIVERY READ HIM -- 'ALL CORRECT EXCEPT DEPT FREQ 118.4 INSTEAD OF 118.2.' LESSON LEARNED: BOTH PLTS SHOULD REVIEW AND UNDERSTAND ALL CLRNCS, IF IN DOUBT AT ALL, GET A REPEAT CLRNC. IF SOMETHING BREAKS OUT IN THE COCKPIT THAT COULD BE DISTRACTING DURING GND OPS, TRY TO GET IT OUT OF THE COCKPIT. TAKE IT OUT ON THE JETWAY IF NECESSARY. ONCE THE PAX DOOR IS CLOSED, PICK A PACE IN THE COCKPIT THAT IS COMFORTABLE FOR BOTH PLTS TO INSURE THAT ALL CHKLISTS AND PROCS ARE ACCOMPLISHED PROPERLY. SLOW DOWN IF NECESSARY AND FORGET THE SCHEDULE.

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.