Medium large transport with altimeters set to QFE overshoots assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	232879
Time
Date	199302
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7350
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zzz
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	232879
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	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:

First officer was flying. We were given a climb to 7000 ft MSL. First officer was hand-flying and was looking at his altimeter which was still set to afl setting (above field level). He failed to look at the center altimeter which is set to MSL altimeter setting. His altimeter would read approximately 440 ft lower than center altimeter. I called out 7000 ft and noticed he was still in a climb. When correction was made, the altitude was 7350 ft and we went back down to 7000 ft. TCASII did not indicate any traffic conflict. I personally feel that having first officer's altimeter set to zero for takeoff as per air carrier procedures causes excessive scanning to the center altimeter especially at low altitude level off. Ok for captain's altimeter since center altimeter is next to captain's altimeter. Had the first officer followed his command bars it would not have occurred. I doubt air carrier procedures will ever be changed until a serious near miss occurs or an in-flight collision occurs. I am a new captain with only 50 hours under my belt as PIC. I was doing after takeoff climb checklist at the time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG WITH ALTIMETERS SET TO QFE OVERSHOOTS ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: FO WAS FLYING. WE WERE GIVEN A CLB TO 7000 FT MSL. FO WAS HAND-FLYING AND WAS LOOKING AT HIS ALTIMETER WHICH WAS STILL SET TO AFL SETTING (ABOVE FIELD LEVEL). HE FAILED TO LOOK AT THE CTR ALTIMETER WHICH IS SET TO MSL ALTIMETER SETTING. HIS ALTIMETER WOULD READ APPROX 440 FT LOWER THAN CTR ALTIMETER. I CALLED OUT 7000 FT AND NOTICED HE WAS STILL IN A CLB. WHEN CORRECTION WAS MADE, THE ALT WAS 7350 FT AND WE WENT BACK DOWN TO 7000 FT. TCASII DID NOT INDICATE ANY TFC CONFLICT. I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT HAVING FO'S ALTIMETER SET TO ZERO FOR TKOF AS PER ACR PROCS CAUSES EXCESSIVE SCANNING TO THE CTR ALTIMETER ESPECIALLY AT LOW ALT LEVEL OFF. OK FOR CAPT'S ALTIMETER SINCE CTR ALTIMETER IS NEXT TO CAPT'S ALTIMETER. HAD THE FO FOLLOWED HIS COMMAND BARS IT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. I DOUBT ACR PROCS WILL EVER BE CHANGED UNTIL A SERIOUS NEAR MISS OCCURS OR AN INFLT COLLISION OCCURS. I AM A NEW CAPT WITH ONLY 50 HRS UNDER MY BELT AS PIC. I WAS DOING AFTER TKOF CLB CHKLIST AT THE TIME.

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.