Medium large transport flight crew missets altitude alert resulting in altitude deviation on climb.

Attributes
ACN	311560
Time
Date	199507
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rno
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rno
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	311560
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The first officer received the pre-takeoff IFR clearance. I was out of the cockpit doing the walkaround. The clearance was to climb to 10000 ft. Normally 15000 ft is the cleared altitude. The first officer arranged the digital flight guidance for his departure and selected 15000 ft in the altitude alerter. (In fact 15000 ft is often set in the alerter when 'cleared for the visual' on the previous approach.) after takeoff the tower had us contact departure. I checked in as '8600 ft climbing to 15000 ft.' the departure controller acknowledged. At about 9500 ft the controller asked 'if we had time for a question?' we responded yes. 'What was your initial assigned altitude?' I looked at the first officer. He responded 10000 ft. I told ATC 10000 ft, noting the altimeter at 10200 ft. The controller said 'no problem -- please be more careful in the future.' at this point I was confused as to what altitude we should be at. We told him (ATC) initially we were climbing to 15000 ft. He never told us to stop the climb but only queried us on our assigned altitude. The no problem indicated to me he was expecting us now to climb to 15000 ft. Reflecting back we should have reviewed the departure clearance together. Asked ATC immediately on what they were expecting us do when queried.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLC MISSETS ALT ALERT RESULTING IN ALTDEV ON CLB.

Narrative: THE FO RECEIVED THE PRE-TKOF IFR CLRNC. I WAS OUT OF THE COCKPIT DOING THE WALKAROUND. THE CLRNC WAS TO CLB TO 10000 FT. NORMALLY 15000 FT IS THE CLRED ALT. THE FO ARRANGED THE DIGITAL FLT GUIDANCE FOR HIS DEP AND SELECTED 15000 FT IN THE ALT ALERTER. (IN FACT 15000 FT IS OFTEN SET IN THE ALERTER WHEN 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL' ON THE PREVIOUS APCH.) AFTER TKOF THE TWR HAD US CONTACT DEP. I CHKED IN AS '8600 FT CLBING TO 15000 FT.' THE DEP CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED. AT ABOUT 9500 FT THE CTLR ASKED 'IF WE HAD TIME FOR A QUESTION?' WE RESPONDED YES. 'WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL ASSIGNED ALT?' I LOOKED AT THE FO. HE RESPONDED 10000 FT. I TOLD ATC 10000 FT, NOTING THE ALTIMETER AT 10200 FT. THE CTLR SAID 'NO PROB -- PLEASE BE MORE CAREFUL IN THE FUTURE.' AT THIS POINT I WAS CONFUSED AS TO WHAT ALT WE SHOULD BE AT. WE TOLD HIM (ATC) INITIALLY WE WERE CLBING TO 15000 FT. HE NEVER TOLD US TO STOP THE CLB BUT ONLY QUERIED US ON OUR ASSIGNED ALT. THE NO PROB INDICATED TO ME HE WAS EXPECTING US NOW TO CLB TO 15000 FT. REFLECTING BACK WE SHOULD HAVE REVIEWED THE DEP CLRNC TOGETHER. ASKED ATC IMMEDIATELY ON WHAT THEY WERE EXPECTING US DO WHEN QUERIED.

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.