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Flight crew experience altitude overshoot in climb departure cdg due to failure to reset altimeter at the 4000 ft transition level.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 172373 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199103 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : cdg |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : cdg |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 2 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 : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 450 |
| ASRS Report | 172373 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to assigned altitude other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Altitude deviation during departure procedure. Initial level off is 7000' on departure. Transition level is 4000' (standard altimeter). The transition level was not briefed during the departure briefing and us based pilots are not conditioned to lower transition levels. The altimeters were neglected to be reset at 4000' due to other workloads and due to failure of prior briefing. Upon initial level-off, the relief pilot (on jump seat) noted failure to reset altimeters, but due to a low altimeter there was a 600' difference (we thought we were at 7000', but were actually at 7600'). ATC also noted discrepancy and we immediately returned to 7000'. We don't believe there was any immediate conflict. I feel the low transition levels present a problem for us based pilots who are conditions to setting standard altimeters at FL180. The lower altitudes (especially below 10000') normally have higher workloads and faster climb rates, and given a transition level that may change on a daily bases, I think this is a scenario in which resetting an altimeter is easily forgotten. Given the proximity of the airport and traffic density, it is also a scenario which could cause a more serious conflict.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW EXPERIENCE ALT OVERSHOOT IN CLB DEP CDG DUE TO FAILURE TO RESET ALTIMETER AT THE 4000 FT TRANSITION LEVEL.
Narrative: ALT DEVIATION DURING DEP PROC. INITIAL LEVEL OFF IS 7000' ON DEP. TRANSITION LEVEL IS 4000' (STANDARD ALTIMETER). THE TRANSITION LEVEL WAS NOT BRIEFED DURING THE DEP BRIEFING AND U.S. BASED PLTS ARE NOT CONDITIONED TO LOWER TRANSITION LEVELS. THE ALTIMETERS WERE NEGLECTED TO BE RESET AT 4000' DUE TO OTHER WORKLOADS AND DUE TO FAILURE OF PRIOR BRIEFING. UPON INITIAL LEVEL-OFF, THE RELIEF PLT (ON JUMP SEAT) NOTED FAILURE TO RESET ALTIMETERS, BUT DUE TO A LOW ALTIMETER THERE WAS A 600' DIFFERENCE (WE THOUGHT WE WERE AT 7000', BUT WERE ACTUALLY AT 7600'). ATC ALSO NOTED DISCREPANCY AND WE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO 7000'. WE DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS ANY IMMEDIATE CONFLICT. I FEEL THE LOW TRANSITION LEVELS PRESENT A PROB FOR U.S. BASED PLTS WHO ARE CONDITIONS TO SETTING STANDARD ALTIMETERS AT FL180. THE LOWER ALTS (ESPECIALLY BELOW 10000') NORMALLY HAVE HIGHER WORKLOADS AND FASTER CLB RATES, AND GIVEN A TRANSITION LEVEL THAT MAY CHANGE ON A DAILY BASES, I THINK THIS IS A SCENARIO IN WHICH RESETTING AN ALTIMETER IS EASILY FORGOTTEN. GIVEN THE PROX OF THE ARPT AND TFC DENSITY, IT IS ALSO A SCENARIO WHICH COULD CAUSE A MORE SERIOUS CONFLICT.
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.