Narrative:

Had a passenger on board (college age boy) who had caused problems about his seating since he appeared at the podium prior to the flight. (Considered having him deplaned, but that prospect evidently quieted him down and the first F/a thought he would probably be ok.) after takeoff, when it was too late to have him deplaned, he started up again. He was never threatening in a physical sense,but was argumentative, non-complaint, disruptive and disdainful of any authority. After about 1 1/2 hours of his behavior, my cabin attendants were upset, and the passenger in the area had also had enough of him. I decided it was time for me to get involved. He also argued with me. It quickly became obvious to me what the cabin attendants had been putting up with. By the time I returned to the cockpit, I was upset. As we all know, in aviation you cannot let outside factors influence your performance. I've been an airline pilot for 33 yrs and certainly know that--nevertheless it happened! Supplemental information from acn 135073: informed on the den 046 degree right we were cleared to cross keane intersection at 17000' and 250 KTS. After leveling at 17000' we realized we had failed to set our altimeters to 29.51 descending through FL180. We immediately reset our altimeters to 29.51 and climbed the 300-400' to 17000'. Supplemental information from acn 135494: the captain had gone back to the cabin for several mins to handle this matter. This caused an interruption in the normal cockpit routine as the descent was started as soon as he returned to the cockpit. Crew were discussing the passenger problem and captain had me, the second officer, radio the company to have a passenger service supervisor and the den police meet our flight in den.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB FLT CREW LEADS TO ALT OVERSHOOT IN DESCENT.

Narrative: HAD A PAX ON BOARD (COLLEGE AGE BOY) WHO HAD CAUSED PROBS ABOUT HIS SEATING SINCE HE APPEARED AT THE PODIUM PRIOR TO THE FLT. (CONSIDERED HAVING HIM DEPLANED, BUT THAT PROSPECT EVIDENTLY QUIETED HIM DOWN AND THE FIRST F/A THOUGHT HE WOULD PROBABLY BE OK.) AFTER TKOF, WHEN IT WAS TOO LATE TO HAVE HIM DEPLANED, HE STARTED UP AGAIN. HE WAS NEVER THREATENING IN A PHYSICAL SENSE,BUT WAS ARGUMENTATIVE, NON-COMPLAINT, DISRUPTIVE AND DISDAINFUL OF ANY AUTHORITY. AFTER ABOUT 1 1/2 HRS OF HIS BEHAVIOR, MY CABIN ATTENDANTS WERE UPSET, AND THE PAX IN THE AREA HAD ALSO HAD ENOUGH OF HIM. I DECIDED IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO GET INVOLVED. HE ALSO ARGUED WITH ME. IT QUICKLY BECAME OBVIOUS TO ME WHAT THE CABIN ATTENDANTS HAD BEEN PUTTING UP WITH. BY THE TIME I RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT, I WAS UPSET. AS WE ALL KNOW, IN AVIATION YOU CANNOT LET OUTSIDE FACTORS INFLUENCE YOUR PERFORMANCE. I'VE BEEN AN AIRLINE PLT FOR 33 YRS AND CERTAINLY KNOW THAT--NEVERTHELESS IT HAPPENED! SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 135073: INFORMED ON THE DEN 046 DEG R WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS KEANE INTXN AT 17000' AND 250 KTS. AFTER LEVELING AT 17000' WE REALIZED WE HAD FAILED TO SET OUR ALTIMETERS TO 29.51 DSNDING THROUGH FL180. WE IMMEDIATELY RESET OUR ALTIMETERS TO 29.51 AND CLBED THE 300-400' TO 17000'. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 135494: THE CAPT HAD GONE BACK TO THE CABIN FOR SEVERAL MINS TO HANDLE THIS MATTER. THIS CAUSED AN INTERRUPTION IN THE NORMAL COCKPIT ROUTINE AS THE DSCNT WAS STARTED AS SOON AS HE RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT. CREW WERE DISCUSSING THE PAX PROB AND CAPT HAD ME, THE S/O, RADIO THE COMPANY TO HAVE A PAX SVC SUPVR AND THE DEN POLICE MEET OUR FLT IN DEN.

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.