Altitude deviation altitude overshot in climb.

Attributes
ACN	317870
Time
Date	199510
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 21000 msl bound upper : 21400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	317870
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was the captain on flight from atl to lex. The flight planned cruise altitude for this flight was FL210 which I had been cleared to by ZTL. At the last min (16500 ft) I was given an interim level off altitude of 17000 ft, which I complied with. After a few mins I was again cleared to FL210 by ZTL. After leveling at FL210 ZTL asked me to confirm that I was at FL210 because they showed me at FL214. I immediately realized that I had forgotten to reset my altimeter to 29.92 while going through FL180. I subsequently descended to FL210 after resetting my altimeter. I feel that there were 3 reasons that this occurred. The last min level off instructions after being cleared to filed cruise altitude. Especially 17000 ft which is just prior to normal resetting of the altimeter. Hurricane 'opal' was moving through the area at this time creating some unusually low altimeter settings, which would cause you to exceed altitude level off limits if the altimeter were not reset. My failure to make the 29.92 callout while climbing through FL180.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT IN CLB.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT ON FLT FROM ATL TO LEX. THE FLT PLANNED CRUISE ALT FOR THIS FLT WAS FL210 WHICH I HAD BEEN CLRED TO BY ZTL. AT THE LAST MIN (16500 FT) I WAS GIVEN AN INTERIM LEVEL OFF ALT OF 17000 FT, WHICH I COMPLIED WITH. AFTER A FEW MINS I WAS AGAIN CLRED TO FL210 BY ZTL. AFTER LEVELING AT FL210 ZTL ASKED ME TO CONFIRM THAT I WAS AT FL210 BECAUSE THEY SHOWED ME AT FL214. I IMMEDIATELY REALIZED THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN TO RESET MY ALTIMETER TO 29.92 WHILE GOING THROUGH FL180. I SUBSEQUENTLY DSNDED TO FL210 AFTER RESETTING MY ALTIMETER. I FEEL THAT THERE WERE 3 REASONS THAT THIS OCCURRED. THE LAST MIN LEVEL OFF INSTRUCTIONS AFTER BEING CLRED TO FILED CRUISE ALT. ESPECIALLY 17000 FT WHICH IS JUST PRIOR TO NORMAL RESETTING OF THE ALTIMETER. HURRICANE 'OPAL' WAS MOVING THROUGH THE AREA AT THIS TIME CREATING SOME UNUSUALLY LOW ALTIMETER SETTINGS, WHICH WOULD CAUSE YOU TO EXCEED ALT LEVEL OFF LIMITS IF THE ALTIMETER WERE NOT RESET. MY FAILURE TO MAKE THE 29.92 CALLOUT WHILE CLBING THROUGH FL180.

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.