Narrative:

Still at cruise altitude and nearing the destination, the captain and I discussed the fact that we should allow extra time to descend to a lower altitude because of excessive gndspd. Approximately 5 mins passed when we were issued a descent clearance from center with a crossing restriction. A descent from the flight level altitudes was initiated immediately. The clearance was to cross a fix at 11000'. In our estimation this clearance was given too late. The aircraft required a high rate of descent with speed brakes extended. Things were happening quickly. We realized that we would not be able to meet the crossing restriction and advised center. Center did acknowledge and understood the problem, and said to 'do the best you can.' we were still in a high rate of descent passing FL180, at which time we rest our altimeters to a local setting (we thought). Flight conditions were less than favorable, nighttime thunderstorms and rough air. Upon leveling at our assigned altitude of 11000', center told us to check our altitude--he showed us near 10000' and the local altimeter setting was 29.36. The captain and I immediately rechked our altimeter settings. We had an erroneous setting of 30.36, which did in fact put us 1000' lower than assigned. An immediate correction was accomplished. Supplemental information from acn 129510: controllers seemingly not aware of limitations of FMC programmed VNAV descent mode once descent started.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLT CREW MISSETS ALTIMETER ON DESCENT BY 1'--LEADS TO 1000' ALT DEVIATION.

Narrative: STILL AT CRUISE ALT AND NEARING THE DEST, THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT WE SHOULD ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO DSND TO A LOWER ALT BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE GNDSPD. APPROX 5 MINS PASSED WHEN WE WERE ISSUED A DSCNT CLRNC FROM CENTER WITH A XING RESTRICTION. A DSCNT FROM THE FLT LEVEL ALTS WAS INITIATED IMMEDIATELY. THE CLRNC WAS TO CROSS A FIX AT 11000'. IN OUR ESTIMATION THIS CLRNC WAS GIVEN TOO LATE. THE ACFT REQUIRED A HIGH RATE OF DSCNT WITH SPD BRAKES EXTENDED. THINGS WERE HAPPENING QUICKLY. WE REALIZED THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MEET THE XING RESTRICTION AND ADVISED CENTER. CENTER DID ACKNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTOOD THE PROB, AND SAID TO 'DO THE BEST YOU CAN.' WE WERE STILL IN A HIGH RATE OF DSCNT PASSING FL180, AT WHICH TIME WE REST OUR ALTIMETERS TO A LCL SETTING (WE THOUGHT). FLT CONDITIONS WERE LESS THAN FAVORABLE, NIGHTTIME TSTMS AND ROUGH AIR. UPON LEVELING AT OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 11000', CENTER TOLD US TO CHK OUR ALT--HE SHOWED US NEAR 10000' AND THE LCL ALTIMETER SETTING WAS 29.36. THE CAPT AND I IMMEDIATELY RECHKED OUR ALTIMETER SETTINGS. WE HAD AN ERRONEOUS SETTING OF 30.36, WHICH DID IN FACT PUT US 1000' LOWER THAN ASSIGNED. AN IMMEDIATE CORRECTION WAS ACCOMPLISHED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 129510: CTLRS SEEMINGLY NOT AWARE OF LIMITATIONS OF FMC PROGRAMMED VNAV DSCNT MODE ONCE DSCNT STARTED.

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.