Flight crew failed to set local altimeter setting descending through FL180. The flight crew leveled off 400 ft high and then descended below assigned altitude trying to get on assigned altitude. The flight crew also missed their turn at bpr radial.

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Attributes
ACN	324010
Time
Date	199512
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bpr
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10700 msl bound upper : 11400
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw tower : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	324010
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer was flying. I waited a little too long to get ATIS and change over. I was in the process of accomplishing this when we went through FL180 on our descent near bpr. As a result, I missed the altimeter change. We were cleared to cross didly at 11000 ft. The altimeter setting was 30.39. With 29.92 set in, we leveled off about 400 ft high. First officer saw this while I was getting ATIS. First officer began a 200-300 FPM descent to get to 11000 ft. Neither one of us can recall if he pulled the altitude arming knob, but we got an altitude warning at 10700 ft and climbed back up to 11000 ft. The controller also advised us to maintain 11000 ft. We also were late on our turn onto the radial off of bpr, but I think we remained within required limits on that. My feeling is that waiting until that late in the leg to start getting all the duties done for our descent and landing was the primary cause of our difficulties combined with the very high altimeter setting that morning. That is a pretty busy arrival, and both pilots in the loop is really essential for a safe operation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC FAILED TO SET LCL ALTIMETER SETTING DSNDING THROUGH FL180. THE FLC LEVELED OFF 400 FT HIGH AND THEN DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT TRYING TO GET ON ASSIGNED ALT. THE FLC ALSO MISSED THEIR TURN AT BPR RADIAL.

Narrative: FO WAS FLYING. I WAITED A LITTLE TOO LONG TO GET ATIS AND CHANGE OVER. I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF ACCOMPLISHING THIS WHEN WE WENT THROUGH FL180 ON OUR DSCNT NEAR BPR. AS A RESULT, I MISSED THE ALTIMETER CHANGE. WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS DIDLY AT 11000 FT. THE ALTIMETER SETTING WAS 30.39. WITH 29.92 SET IN, WE LEVELED OFF ABOUT 400 FT HIGH. FO SAW THIS WHILE I WAS GETTING ATIS. FO BEGAN A 200-300 FPM DSCNT TO GET TO 11000 FT. NEITHER ONE OF US CAN RECALL IF HE PULLED THE ALT ARMING KNOB, BUT WE GOT AN ALT WARNING AT 10700 FT AND CLBED BACK UP TO 11000 FT. THE CTLR ALSO ADVISED US TO MAINTAIN 11000 FT. WE ALSO WERE LATE ON OUR TURN ONTO THE RADIAL OFF OF BPR, BUT I THINK WE REMAINED WITHIN REQUIRED LIMITS ON THAT. MY FEELING IS THAT WAITING UNTIL THAT LATE IN THE LEG TO START GETTING ALL THE DUTIES DONE FOR OUR DSCNT AND LNDG WAS THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF OUR DIFFICULTIES COMBINED WITH THE VERY HIGH ALTIMETER SETTING THAT MORNING. THAT IS A PRETTY BUSY ARR, AND BOTH PLTS IN THE LOOP IS REALLY ESSENTIAL FOR A SAFE OP.

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.