Large transport on descent forgets to reset altimeter at 18000 ft.

Attributes
ACN	321060
Time
Date	199511
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : olm
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sea
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-83
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	321060
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In icing conditions, with speed brakes, aircraft was hard to handle (bank to left after autoplt disengaged). Pilot preoccupied with flight controls, forgot to reset altimeter at 18000 ft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the aircraft was an MD83 and feels the problem with the control aspects was that one of the spoilers did not extend when activated. They were in icing conditions and reporter feels that 1 spoiler was iced up. That distraction caused the lack of awareness of altimeter reset passing 18000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT ON DSCNT FORGETS TO RESET ALTIMETER AT 18000 FT.

Narrative: IN ICING CONDITIONS, WITH SPD BRAKES, ACFT WAS HARD TO HANDLE (BANK TO L AFTER AUTOPLT DISENGAGED). PLT PREOCCUPIED WITH FLT CTLS, FORGOT TO RESET ALTIMETER AT 18000 FT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE ACFT WAS AN MD83 AND FEELS THE PROB WITH THE CTL ASPECTS WAS THAT ONE OF THE SPOILERS DID NOT EXTEND WHEN ACTIVATED. THEY WERE IN ICING CONDITIONS AND RPTR FEELS THAT 1 SPOILER WAS ICED UP. THAT DISTR CAUSED THE LACK OF AWARENESS OF ALTIMETER RESET PASSING 18000 FT.

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.