B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Distraction; Confusion
Deviation - Altitude Undershoot; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors; Procedure
At the gate we set the wrong altitude for our departure clearance. It should have been 5;000. 4;000 was set for our initial altitude and neither myself or the First Officer caught the error. No excuse. We simply made a mistake. After takeoff the First Officer checked in with Departure and told him we were climbing to 4;000. The Departure Controller read back our clearance to 4;000. When we leveled off at 4;000; the Controller asked who gave us that clearance and we replied it was entered in error. He cleared us to climb to 5;000. Our time at 4;000 was minimal (less than 30 seconds).
A B737 departed on the ORD8 and leveled at 4;000 FT instead of 5;000 FT because the neither pilot realized 4;000 FT was set as the initial level off altitude when it really was a crossing restriction.