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Air carrier heavy transport altitude deviation undershot during climb.. Flight crew forgot to set altimeter passing transition altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 126061 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198910 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : lrp |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 20000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dawn |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zny |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Heavy Transport |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zny |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 |
| ASRS Report | 126061 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 2100 |
| ASRS Report | 126062 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Departed ewr destined for iad, flight planned at FL200. Approximately over lrp ATC informed us that we were off altitude by 500'. Both altimeters indicated 20000'. I immediately saw that my altimeter had not been preset to qne 29.92, as well as the captain's. Ewr altitude was 30.45. In haste to get back to the correct altitude I misread my altimeter, thinking it read 20500', so I started a descent to level at FL200. During the course of all this we were busy with other cockpit duties, since this was a fairly short leg. ATC again called us and said he showed us FL190. We immediately climbed back to FL200. We were VFR at all times and saw no other aircraft in our vicinity. My estimation of why this occurred was that I got up early east coast time, which was even earlier pacific time where I live. There was no facility to get breakfast at this time of the morning. Needless to say, I was tired (low blood sugar), which contributed to this error.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR HVT ALT DEVIATION UNDERSHOT DURING CLIMB.. FLT CREW FORGOT TO SET ALTIMETER PASSING TRANSITION ALT.
Narrative: DEPARTED EWR DESTINED FOR IAD, FLT PLANNED AT FL200. APPROX OVER LRP ATC INFORMED US THAT WE WERE OFF ALT BY 500'. BOTH ALTIMETERS INDICATED 20000'. I IMMEDIATELY SAW THAT MY ALTIMETER HAD NOT BEEN PRESET TO QNE 29.92, AS WELL AS THE CAPT'S. EWR ALT WAS 30.45. IN HASTE TO GET BACK TO THE CORRECT ALT I MISREAD MY ALTIMETER, THINKING IT READ 20500', SO I STARTED A DSCNT TO LEVEL AT FL200. DURING THE COURSE OF ALL THIS WE WERE BUSY WITH OTHER COCKPIT DUTIES, SINCE THIS WAS A FAIRLY SHORT LEG. ATC AGAIN CALLED US AND SAID HE SHOWED US FL190. WE IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO FL200. WE WERE VFR AT ALL TIMES AND SAW NO OTHER ACFT IN OUR VICINITY. MY ESTIMATION OF WHY THIS OCCURRED WAS THAT I GOT UP EARLY E COAST TIME, WHICH WAS EVEN EARLIER PACIFIC TIME WHERE I LIVE. THERE WAS NO FAC TO GET BREAKFAST AT THIS TIME OF THE MORNING. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS TIRED (LOW BLOOD SUGAR), WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ERROR.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.