CRJ700 flight crew has altitude deviation during departure from mwh.

Attributes
ACN	514510
Time
Date	200106
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mwh.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dtw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 700 ER&LR
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 10800 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	514510
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were doing training in our new crj-700, flying from city to city showing our first crj to our airline's stations. We were cleared via clearance delivery at mwh to 10000 ft to expect 11000 ft. On climb out I engaged the autoplt and we were given a turn of 180 degrees off runway heading. As I was climbing out of about 5000 ft MSL with autoplt on, I reached for the speed knob to increase my climb speed to 250 KTS from the 200 KTS I had in the turn. I accidentally adjusted the altitude knob. I noticed this as the aircraft wasn't accelerating. I looked at the altitude alerter and it was now set at 11300 ft, so I reset it to 11000 ft. The PNF was out of the loop talking to company with our out and off times. We were handed off to ZSE and reported climbing to 11000 ft. ATC questioned our altitude as 11000 ft? No other comments were made. I don't know if we were ever cleared to 11000 ft. One major problem is the altitude, speed and heading knobs feel very similar. There are some minor differences on the texture of the knob but not enough for a pilot to notice under flight conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ700 FLT CREW HAS ALTDEV DURING DEP FROM MWH.

Narrative: WE WERE DOING TRAINING IN OUR NEW CRJ-700, FLYING FROM CITY TO CITY SHOWING OUR FIRST CRJ TO OUR AIRLINE'S STATIONS. WE WERE CLRED VIA CLRNC DELIVERY AT MWH TO 10000 FT TO EXPECT 11000 FT. ON CLBOUT I ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND WE WERE GIVEN A TURN OF 180 DEGS OFF RWY HEADING. AS I WAS CLBING OUT OF ABOUT 5000 FT MSL WITH AUTOPLT ON, I REACHED FOR THE SPD KNOB TO INCREASE MY CLB SPD TO 250 KTS FROM THE 200 KTS I HAD IN THE TURN. I ACCIDENTALLY ADJUSTED THE ALT KNOB. I NOTICED THIS AS THE AIRCRAFT WASN'T ACCELERATING. I LOOKED AT THE ALT ALERTER AND IT WAS NOW SET AT 11300 FT, SO I RESET IT TO 11000 FT. THE PNF WAS OUT OF THE LOOP TALKING TO COMPANY WITH OUR OUT AND OFF TIMES. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ZSE AND REPORTED CLBING TO 11000 FT. ATC QUESTIONED OUR ALT AS 11000 FT? NO OTHER COMMENTS WERE MADE. I DON'T KNOW IF WE WERE EVER CLRED TO 11000 FT. ONE MAJOR PROB IS THE ALT, SPD AND HDG KNOBS FEEL VERY SIMILAR. THERE ARE SOME MINOR DIFFERENCES ON THE TEXTURE OF THE KNOB BUT NOT ENOUGH FOR A PLT TO NOTICE UNDER FLIGHT CONDITIONS.

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.