Large transport flight crew misreads altimeter. Misses crossing restriction.

Attributes
ACN	241982
Time
Date	199305
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oxi
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zau
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 18500 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	241982
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	242036
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Received clearance 26 mi east of knox VOR to cross halie intersection at 11000 ft. Halie intersection is 26 mi west of knox VOR on the knox 2 arrival chicago. I left FL280 for 11000 ft. The first officer asked to leave the cockpit for a nature call and was granted permission. This is an older series aircraft with the older altimeters installed that are analog and have the hash marks versus the digital readout altimeters installed on the advanced series. I leveled the aircraft at 21000 ft misreading the altimeter by 10000 ft. The so also misread the altimeter by 10000 ft. 5 mi east of halie intersection ATC asked what I understood the crossing altitude to be at halie and I confirmed the 11000 ft and immediately saw my error and started for 11000 ft. No conflict was indicated and the controller issued a southwest heading for descent vector. I had not been in the older type of aircraft with this altimeter for more than 2 months and I believe my mind still attuned to the digital readout on the advanced model aircraft. On descent I checked the altimeter several times and never picked up on the misread. I can only learn from this occurrence and strive to never have this happen again. It seems that standardization of instrumentation in the cockpit is unattainable when pitted against cost.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT FLC MISREADS ALTIMETER. MISSES XING RESTRICTION.

Narrative: RECEIVED CLRNC 26 MI E OF KNOX VOR TO CROSS HALIE INTXN AT 11000 FT. HALIE INTXN IS 26 MI W OF KNOX VOR ON THE KNOX 2 ARR CHICAGO. I LEFT FL280 FOR 11000 FT. THE FO ASKED TO LEAVE THE COCKPIT FOR A NATURE CALL AND WAS GRANTED PERMISSION. THIS IS AN OLDER SERIES ACFT WITH THE OLDER ALTIMETERS INSTALLED THAT ARE ANALOG AND HAVE THE HASH MARKS VERSUS THE DIGITAL READOUT ALTIMETERS INSTALLED ON THE ADVANCED SERIES. I LEVELED THE ACFT AT 21000 FT MISREADING THE ALTIMETER BY 10000 FT. THE SO ALSO MISREAD THE ALTIMETER BY 10000 FT. 5 MI E OF HALIE INTXN ATC ASKED WHAT I UNDERSTOOD THE XING ALT TO BE AT HALIE AND I CONFIRMED THE 11000 FT AND IMMEDIATELY SAW MY ERROR AND STARTED FOR 11000 FT. NO CONFLICT WAS INDICATED AND THE CTLR ISSUED A SW HDG FOR DSCNT VECTOR. I HAD NOT BEEN IN THE OLDER TYPE OF ACFT WITH THIS ALTIMETER FOR MORE THAN 2 MONTHS AND I BELIEVE MY MIND STILL ATTUNED TO THE DIGITAL READOUT ON THE ADVANCED MODEL ACFT. ON DSCNT I CHKED THE ALTIMETER SEVERAL TIMES AND NEVER PICKED UP ON THE MISREAD. I CAN ONLY LEARN FROM THIS OCCURRENCE AND STRIVE TO NEVER HAVE THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. IT SEEMS THAT STANDARDIZATION OF INSTRUMENTATION IN THE COCKPIT IS UNATTAINABLE WHEN PITTED AGAINST COST.

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.