Air carrier widebody transport flight crew forgets to set 29 pt 92 climbing through FL180.

Attributes
ACN	131976
Time
Date	198912
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34600 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 13500 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	131976
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
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:

Forgot to reset altimeters from departure airport (lga) setting to 29.92. We therefore were cruising at 34600' instead of 35000'. Controller had earlier asked how long it would take to continue from our climbing altitude of approximately 32800' to 35000'. We answered approximately 4 mins. We soon reported level at FL350. The controller a few mins later asked our altitude. We repeated FL350. He showed 34600'. He inquired if we had 29.92 set. We immediately climbed after resetting to 29.92. No mention of conflict with another aircraft was made, although the controller did sound distressed. Cause: 5 1/2 ground delay in lga due to xmas loads and short staffing agitated our hungry passenger to the point of riot. 1 F/a and gate agent were physically assaulted, although they declined to prosecute. I was booed and called a liar by shouting passenger as I intervened. Claimed that there must have been other reasons for the delay. Situation was so bad that I called for police. Nearly cancelled the flight. Also,it was first trip for copilot in line operations on widebody transport, inexperience with INS, etc. These factors I believe contributed to not resetting to 29.92.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB FLT CREW FORGETS TO SET 29 PT 92 CLIMBING THROUGH FL180.

Narrative: FORGOT TO RESET ALTIMETERS FROM DEP ARPT (LGA) SETTING TO 29.92. WE THEREFORE WERE CRUISING AT 34600' INSTEAD OF 35000'. CTLR HAD EARLIER ASKED HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO CONTINUE FROM OUR CLBING ALT OF APPROX 32800' TO 35000'. WE ANSWERED APPROX 4 MINS. WE SOON RPTED LEVEL AT FL350. THE CTLR A FEW MINS LATER ASKED OUR ALT. WE REPEATED FL350. HE SHOWED 34600'. HE INQUIRED IF WE HAD 29.92 SET. WE IMMEDIATELY CLBED AFTER RESETTING TO 29.92. NO MENTION OF CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT WAS MADE, ALTHOUGH THE CTLR DID SOUND DISTRESSED. CAUSE: 5 1/2 GND DELAY IN LGA DUE TO XMAS LOADS AND SHORT STAFFING AGITATED OUR HUNGRY PAX TO THE POINT OF RIOT. 1 F/A AND GATE AGENT WERE PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED, ALTHOUGH THEY DECLINED TO PROSECUTE. I WAS BOOED AND CALLED A LIAR BY SHOUTING PAX AS I INTERVENED. CLAIMED THAT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN OTHER REASONS FOR THE DELAY. SITUATION WAS SO BAD THAT I CALLED FOR POLICE. NEARLY CANCELLED THE FLT. ALSO,IT WAS FIRST TRIP FOR COPLT IN LINE OPS ON WDB, INEXPERIENCE WITH INS, ETC. THESE FACTORS I BELIEVE CONTRIBUTED TO NOT RESETTING TO 29.92.

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.