Altitude deviation on climb. Correct altitude readback after ATC clearance, but wrong altitude set in altitude alert. When changing ATC frequency, the altitude set in alerter was read back and ARTCC controller missed the incorrect altitude, but intervened when aircraft was climbing through the assigned altitude.

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Attributes
ACN	333900
Time
Date	199604
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : spa
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 21000 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 6400 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	333900
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 5460 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	333772
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We departed gsp at XX55Z for mco. There was a large WX area sse of gsp. First officer at the controls, climbing through +/-9000 ft, departure gave us climb instruction to FL200. Captain read back clearance to FL200. At that time we were encountering moderate turbulence climbing out. FL220 was entered into altitude alerter window instead of FL200. Passing FL180, we were handed over to ZTL. Captain informed them that we were out FL180 for FL220. ZTL responded, 'roger.' passing FL210 our TCASII warning alerted us of traffic conflict. We were at that time in VMC conditions and could see our traffic at 2 O'clock position about +/-1000 ft above, flying northbound about 3-5 mi away. At no time were we in danger of colliding with traffic. At FL216, ZTL asked if we were level at FL200. Captain replied, 'no sir, we are climbing out of FL210 to FL220.' if there was a discrepancy in altitude assignment, why did ZTL not question the fact when we had check-in FL180 for FL220? And why were we asked, 'what altitude we were at,' when we were FL216 for FL220. (+/-1500 ft above supposedly assigned altitude of FL200.) I feel both crew and center should always verify and confirm heading and altitude assignment at check-in and handovers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ON CLB. CORRECT ALT READBACK AFTER ATC CLRNC, BUT WRONG ALT SET IN ALT ALERT. WHEN CHANGING ATC FREQ, THE ALT SET IN ALERTER WAS READ BACK AND ARTCC CTLR MISSED THE INCORRECT ALT, BUT INTERVENED WHEN ACFT WAS CLBING THROUGH THE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED GSP AT XX55Z FOR MCO. THERE WAS A LARGE WX AREA SSE OF GSP. FO AT THE CTLS, CLBING THROUGH +/-9000 FT, DEP GAVE US CLB INSTRUCTION TO FL200. CAPT READ BACK CLRNC TO FL200. AT THAT TIME WE WERE ENCOUNTERING MODERATE TURB CLBING OUT. FL220 WAS ENTERED INTO ALT ALERTER WINDOW INSTEAD OF FL200. PASSING FL180, WE WERE HANDED OVER TO ZTL. CAPT INFORMED THEM THAT WE WERE OUT FL180 FOR FL220. ZTL RESPONDED, 'ROGER.' PASSING FL210 OUR TCASII WARNING ALERTED US OF TFC CONFLICT. WE WERE AT THAT TIME IN VMC CONDITIONS AND COULD SEE OUR TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK POS ABOUT +/-1000 FT ABOVE, FLYING NBOUND ABOUT 3-5 MI AWAY. AT NO TIME WERE WE IN DANGER OF COLLIDING WITH TFC. AT FL216, ZTL ASKED IF WE WERE LEVEL AT FL200. CAPT REPLIED, 'NO SIR, WE ARE CLBING OUT OF FL210 TO FL220.' IF THERE WAS A DISCREPANCY IN ALT ASSIGNMENT, WHY DID ZTL NOT QUESTION THE FACT WHEN WE HAD CHK-IN FL180 FOR FL220? AND WHY WERE WE ASKED, 'WHAT ALT WE WERE AT,' WHEN WE WERE FL216 FOR FL220. (+/-1500 FT ABOVE SUPPOSEDLY ASSIGNED ALT OF FL200.) I FEEL BOTH CREW AND CTR SHOULD ALWAYS VERIFY AND CONFIRM HDG AND ALT ASSIGNMENT AT CHK-IN AND HANDOVERS.

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.