Large transport flight crew forgets to reset altimeter descending below FL180.

Attributes
ACN	302260
Time
Date	199504
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10600 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	302260
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was off the ATC radio picking up the ATIS information when the captain began descent. When I returned, the captain briefed me on the current directions of heading, altitude and airspeed. The controller was very busy and it seemed that nearly every other instruction was for us -- almost constant changes in altitude, airspeed and/or heading with a final request to 'expedite descent to 11000 ft.' as we leveled from a rapid descent the controller questioned our altitude and altimeter setting. We then noticed that we had neglected to reset the altimeters and had leveled approximately 400 ft low. It took longer than normal to copy the ATIS because it changed while I was copying it and it took some time for the new one to come up. ATC radio was talking constantly with an exceptional number of changes for us specifically. 2-MAN cockpits are busy even during a normal descent and approach. I'm not surprised we forgot something, but will try to do better in the future. Meanwhile, anything that can be done to reduce radio chatter, reduce vectoring, and give pilots more advance notice about where they are going in high density traffic areas will be helpful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT FLC FORGETS TO RESET ALTIMETER DSNDING BELOW FL180.

Narrative: I WAS OFF THE ATC RADIO PICKING UP THE ATIS INFO WHEN THE CAPT BEGAN DSCNT. WHEN I RETURNED, THE CAPT BRIEFED ME ON THE CURRENT DIRECTIONS OF HDG, ALT AND AIRSPD. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY AND IT SEEMED THAT NEARLY EVERY OTHER INSTRUCTION WAS FOR US -- ALMOST CONSTANT CHANGES IN ALT, AIRSPD AND/OR HDG WITH A FINAL REQUEST TO 'EXPEDITE DSCNT TO 11000 FT.' AS WE LEVELED FROM A RAPID DSCNT THE CTLR QUESTIONED OUR ALT AND ALTIMETER SETTING. WE THEN NOTICED THAT WE HAD NEGLECTED TO RESET THE ALTIMETERS AND HAD LEVELED APPROX 400 FT LOW. IT TOOK LONGER THAN NORMAL TO COPY THE ATIS BECAUSE IT CHANGED WHILE I WAS COPYING IT AND IT TOOK SOME TIME FOR THE NEW ONE TO COME UP. ATC RADIO WAS TALKING CONSTANTLY WITH AN EXCEPTIONAL NUMBER OF CHANGES FOR US SPECIFICALLY. 2-MAN COCKPITS ARE BUSY EVEN DURING A NORMAL DSCNT AND APCH. I'M NOT SURPRISED WE FORGOT SOMETHING, BUT WILL TRY TO DO BETTER IN THE FUTURE. MEANWHILE, ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO REDUCE RADIO CHATTER, REDUCE VECTORING, AND GIVE PLTS MORE ADVANCE NOTICE ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE GOING IN HIGH DENSITY TFC AREAS WILL BE HELPFUL.

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.