Crew failed to maintain assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	428457
Time
Date	199902
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zab.artcc
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 29300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc tracon : gtf.tracon
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 : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 26000 flight time type : 20000
ASRS Report	428457
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	428220
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After several intermediate leveloffs, I thought we had been cleared to FL310, but my first officer had set FL280 in our altitude alert. At approximately FL283, my first officer called 'altitude,' at which I immediately leveled off the aircraft. Just as we were discussing our clearance, ZAB cleared us to FL310. Center did not query our altitude or comment and we continued our climb. Unlike most models of the aircraft we fly, this series does not have an automatic-level on the autoplt. Not accustomed to this manual leveloff feature, it is imperative to be extra diligent in monitoring the leveloff portion of flight, communicate clearly with your crew to avoid possible altdevs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CREW FAILED TO MAINTAIN ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: AFTER SEVERAL INTERMEDIATE LEVELOFFS, I THOUGHT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL310, BUT MY FO HAD SET FL280 IN OUR ALT ALERT. AT APPROX FL283, MY FO CALLED 'ALT,' AT WHICH I IMMEDIATELY LEVELED OFF THE ACFT. JUST AS WE WERE DISCUSSING OUR CLRNC, ZAB CLRED US TO FL310. CTR DID NOT QUERY OUR ALT OR COMMENT AND WE CONTINUED OUR CLB. UNLIKE MOST MODELS OF THE ACFT WE FLY, THIS SERIES DOES NOT HAVE AN AUTO-LEVEL ON THE AUTOPLT. NOT ACCUSTOMED TO THIS MANUAL LEVELOFF FEATURE, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO BE EXTRA DILIGENT IN MONITORING THE LEVELOFF PORTION OF FLT, COMMUNICATE CLRLY WITH YOUR CREW TO AVOID POSSIBLE ALTDEVS.

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.