Captain reset qnh altitude improperly causing an altitude alert and response by first officer, the P...

Attributes
ACN	145735
Time
Date	199005
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : scy
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	145735
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were level at 11000' with the autoplt engaged and slowing from 280 to 250 KTS. I saw the captain reach to reset his altimeter from qnh to QFE, so I did the same (or started to). When we got an altitude alert warning I looked at the third (center) altimeter which remains set to qnh and it read about 500' low (10500'), so I immediately turned off the autoplt and climbed back to 11000'. During the climb I checked the FMA (flight mode annunciator) which showed that the autoplt had been in the altitude hold mode. I was now hand-flying and trying to figure just what had gone wrong when we get another altitude alert warning! I again looked at the third altimeter and now it read about 400' high (11400'), but this time I saw the captain's hand move away from the third altimeter. This time before I did anything I asked him what the correct altimeter setting was, he told me and then reset the third altimeter which now read 500' high (11500'). I then descended to 11000' and turned the autoplt back on. I then checked my DME which told me I had 1/2 mi to slow from 250 KTS to 210 KTS. We were 2 1/2 mi late when we reached 210 KTS! Wow! Well, I think the captain reset the third altimeter to QFE and then rest it to qnh causing our altitude problems, however I I had asked what the correct altimeter setting was when the first warning sounded, it would have solved both the altitude and airspeed problems right then!. I don't think the captain even knew what he had done wrong at first, and he never confessed afterward.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT RESET QNH ALT IMPROPERLY CAUSING AN ALT ALERT AND RESPONSE BY FO, THE PF, TO CORRECT HIS ALT. CAPT HAD SET THE WRONG ALT SETTING, CAUSING THE FO'S CORRECTION TO ACTUALLY BE A DEVIATION.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT 11000' WITH THE AUTOPLT ENGAGED AND SLOWING FROM 280 TO 250 KTS. I SAW THE CAPT REACH TO RESET HIS ALTIMETER FROM QNH TO QFE, SO I DID THE SAME (OR STARTED TO). WHEN WE GOT AN ALT ALERT WARNING I LOOKED AT THE THIRD (CENTER) ALTIMETER WHICH REMAINS SET TO QNH AND IT READ ABOUT 500' LOW (10500'), SO I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE AUTOPLT AND CLBED BACK TO 11000'. DURING THE CLB I CHKED THE FMA (FLT MODE ANNUNCIATOR) WHICH SHOWED THAT THE AUTOPLT HAD BEEN IN THE ALT HOLD MODE. I WAS NOW HAND-FLYING AND TRYING TO FIGURE JUST WHAT HAD GONE WRONG WHEN WE GET ANOTHER ALT ALERT WARNING! I AGAIN LOOKED AT THE THIRD ALTIMETER AND NOW IT READ ABOUT 400' HIGH (11400'), BUT THIS TIME I SAW THE CAPT'S HAND MOVE AWAY FROM THE THIRD ALTIMETER. THIS TIME BEFORE I DID ANYTHING I ASKED HIM WHAT THE CORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING WAS, HE TOLD ME AND THEN RESET THE THIRD ALTIMETER WHICH NOW READ 500' HIGH (11500'). I THEN DSNDED TO 11000' AND TURNED THE AUTOPLT BACK ON. I THEN CHKED MY DME WHICH TOLD ME I HAD 1/2 MI TO SLOW FROM 250 KTS TO 210 KTS. WE WERE 2 1/2 MI LATE WHEN WE REACHED 210 KTS! WOW! WELL, I THINK THE CAPT RESET THE THIRD ALTIMETER TO QFE AND THEN REST IT TO QNH CAUSING OUR ALT PROBS, HOWEVER I I HAD ASKED WHAT THE CORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING WAS WHEN THE FIRST WARNING SOUNDED, IT WOULD HAVE SOLVED BOTH THE ALT AND AIRSPD PROBS RIGHT THEN!. I DON'T THINK THE CAPT EVEN KNEW WHAT HE HAD DONE WRONG AT FIRST, AND HE NEVER CONFESSED AFTERWARD.

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.

Captain reset qnh altitude improperly causing an altitude alert and response by first officer, the PF, to correct his altitude. Captain had set the wrong altitude setting, causing the first officer's correction to actually be a deviation.