Narrative:

The flight departed cle with an altimeter of 30.30. Passing 18000 ft where a standard callout of 29.92 is made, there was no callout by the first officer. The 'B' flight attendant came up to the cockpit to report a passenger problem as we passed 18000 ft. Being preoccupied with the conversation we both neglected to reset our altimeters to 29.92. Of course we were almost 400 ft off. The controller queried us about our altitude and we realized we were off. He then gave us a crossing restr and the oversight was corrected. We had no traffic conflicts, but we realized the oversight. We landed at phl uneventfully. Our preoccupation with the flight attendant conversation during our climb through 18000 ft caused this oversight, but because this is a standard callout we should have corrected it sooner. The flight attendant was only in the cockpit for approximately 1 min. This was the 3RD leg of a 4 leg day and we both were a little tired from the previous night's short overnight. Setting 29.92 is such a routine matter that oversights are bound to occur. Maybe an altitude alerter through 18000 ft would be a good idea. Once again the human factors are involved. The first officer and I decided upon arrival in phl that we would both submit NASA reports even though the controller didn't seem concerned. The first officer was a bottom reserve pilot and hasn't flown very much. He was rusty in many areas simply because he doesn't fly very often. 3 flight attendants, 2 crew. It's still my responsibility to xchk and we both missed the callout.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLC NEGLECTS TO RESET ALTIMETER PASSING 18000 FT.

Narrative: THE FLT DEPARTED CLE WITH AN ALTIMETER OF 30.30. PASSING 18000 FT WHERE A STANDARD CALLOUT OF 29.92 IS MADE, THERE WAS NO CALLOUT BY THE FO. THE 'B' FLT ATTENDANT CAME UP TO THE COCKPIT TO RPT A PAX PROB AS WE PASSED 18000 FT. BEING PREOCCUPIED WITH THE CONVERSATION WE BOTH NEGLECTED TO RESET OUR ALTIMETERS TO 29.92. OF COURSE WE WERE ALMOST 400 FT OFF. THE CTLR QUERIED US ABOUT OUR ALT AND WE REALIZED WE WERE OFF. HE THEN GAVE US A XING RESTR AND THE OVERSIGHT WAS CORRECTED. WE HAD NO TFC CONFLICTS, BUT WE REALIZED THE OVERSIGHT. WE LANDED AT PHL UNEVENTFULLY. OUR PREOCCUPATION WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT CONVERSATION DURING OUR CLB THROUGH 18000 FT CAUSED THIS OVERSIGHT, BUT BECAUSE THIS IS A STANDARD CALLOUT WE SHOULD HAVE CORRECTED IT SOONER. THE FLT ATTENDANT WAS ONLY IN THE COCKPIT FOR APPROX 1 MIN. THIS WAS THE 3RD LEG OF A 4 LEG DAY AND WE BOTH WERE A LITTLE TIRED FROM THE PREVIOUS NIGHT'S SHORT OVERNIGHT. SETTING 29.92 IS SUCH A ROUTINE MATTER THAT OVERSIGHTS ARE BOUND TO OCCUR. MAYBE AN ALT ALERTER THROUGH 18000 FT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA. ONCE AGAIN THE HUMAN FACTORS ARE INVOLVED. THE FO AND I DECIDED UPON ARR IN PHL THAT WE WOULD BOTH SUBMIT NASA RPTS EVEN THOUGH THE CTLR DIDN'T SEEM CONCERNED. THE FO WAS A BOTTOM RESERVE PLT AND HASN'T FLOWN VERY MUCH. HE WAS RUSTY IN MANY AREAS SIMPLY BECAUSE HE DOESN'T FLY VERY OFTEN. 3 FLT ATTENDANTS, 2 CREW. IT'S STILL MY RESPONSIBILITY TO XCHK AND WE BOTH MISSED THE CALLOUT.

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.