BE1900 crew overshot cleared altitude during climb out of pns.

Attributes
ACN	432440
Time
Date	199903
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pns.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pns.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	432440
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We took off from pns with 10000 ft set in the altitude alerter. Procedurally, we take off with the initial altitude set in the alerter. Climbing through 4000 ft MSL, tower handed us off to departure and asked, 'what altitude are you climbing to?' (3000 ft is normally the initial altitude limit assigned at pns.) while looking at the altitude alerter, I responded, '10000 ft. That's what we were assigned.' before switching to departure, I checked the clearance written down. We were cleared to 3000 ft and expect 10000 ft in 10 mins. 10000 ft was requested as a final instead of 16000 ft, the filed altitude. When we checked in with departure, the controller asked what altitude we were at. I responded, 'climbing through 4000 ft.' departure assigned us 10000 ft and did not question the 3000 ft limit. The 10000 ft put in the alerter was put in by mistake for 1 of 2 reasons: 1) it was put in while thinking of our final altitude. 2) we had come from tlh and the normal initial altitude is 10000 ft. Corrective action: we stopped our climb at 4000 ft, however, departure gave us the clearance to 10000 ft and the climb was continued.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE1900 CREW OVERSHOT CLRED ALT DURING CLBOUT OF PNS.

Narrative: WE TOOK OFF FROM PNS WITH 10000 FT SET IN THE ALT ALERTER. PROCEDURALLY, WE TAKE OFF WITH THE INITIAL ALT SET IN THE ALERTER. CLBING THROUGH 4000 FT MSL, TWR HANDED US OFF TO DEP AND ASKED, 'WHAT ALT ARE YOU CLBING TO?' (3000 FT IS NORMALLY THE INITIAL ALT LIMIT ASSIGNED AT PNS.) WHILE LOOKING AT THE ALT ALERTER, I RESPONDED, '10000 FT. THAT'S WHAT WE WERE ASSIGNED.' BEFORE SWITCHING TO DEP, I CHKED THE CLRNC WRITTEN DOWN. WE WERE CLRED TO 3000 FT AND EXPECT 10000 FT IN 10 MINS. 10000 FT WAS REQUESTED AS A FINAL INSTEAD OF 16000 FT, THE FILED ALT. WHEN WE CHKED IN WITH DEP, THE CTLR ASKED WHAT ALT WE WERE AT. I RESPONDED, 'CLBING THROUGH 4000 FT.' DEP ASSIGNED US 10000 FT AND DID NOT QUESTION THE 3000 FT LIMIT. THE 10000 FT PUT IN THE ALERTER WAS PUT IN BY MISTAKE FOR 1 OF 2 REASONS: 1) IT WAS PUT IN WHILE THINKING OF OUR FINAL ALT. 2) WE HAD COME FROM TLH AND THE NORMAL INITIAL ALT IS 10000 FT. CORRECTIVE ACTION: WE STOPPED OUR CLB AT 4000 FT, HOWEVER, DEP GAVE US THE CLRNC TO 10000 FT AND THE CLB WAS CONTINUED.

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.