Large transport flight crew fails to reset altimeter descending through FL180. Altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	328990
Time
Date	199602
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aml
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10700 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	328990
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer was PF. We received a clearance to cross 40 DME southwest armel at 11000 ft. ATIS was over 1 hour old and we had some discussion as to what approach we would fly. We briefed the iad ILS to runway 19R and then the CAT ii to runway 1R. The first officer started his descent late. Passing FL190 he realized we wouldn't meet the crossing restr unless he used speed brakes. At this point the first officer got more aggressive with his descent. Passing FL180 I called for the in-range checklist and set my altimeter to the current setting of 29.63 inches. At this point we got a frequency change to iad approach control and received a runway assignment to the ILS runway 12. Due to the distractions of 3 different approach briefs plus the late descent the first officer failed to set his altimeter to 29.63 inches, leaving it at 29.92 inches. The so failed to verify the correct setting during the in-range check. The first officer was using his altimeter during this aggressive descent so he leveled off to meet the crossing restr at 40 DME, but ended up 300 ft low with reference to the captain (transponder) altimeter (which was correctly set at 29.63 inches). We immediately climbed back to 11000 ft as assigned. I am not aware of any traffic conflicts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT FLC FAILS TO RESET ALTIMETER DSNDING THROUGH FL180. ALTDEV.

Narrative: FO WAS PF. WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO CROSS 40 DME SW ARMEL AT 11000 FT. ATIS WAS OVER 1 HR OLD AND WE HAD SOME DISCUSSION AS TO WHAT APCH WE WOULD FLY. WE BRIEFED THE IAD ILS TO RWY 19R AND THEN THE CAT II TO RWY 1R. THE FO STARTED HIS DSCNT LATE. PASSING FL190 HE REALIZED WE WOULDN'T MEET THE XING RESTR UNLESS HE USED SPD BRAKES. AT THIS POINT THE FO GOT MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH HIS DSCNT. PASSING FL180 I CALLED FOR THE IN-RANGE CHKLIST AND SET MY ALTIMETER TO THE CURRENT SETTING OF 29.63 INCHES. AT THIS POINT WE GOT A FREQ CHANGE TO IAD APCH CTL AND RECEIVED A RWY ASSIGNMENT TO THE ILS RWY 12. DUE TO THE DISTRACTIONS OF 3 DIFFERENT APCH BRIEFS PLUS THE LATE DSCNT THE FO FAILED TO SET HIS ALTIMETER TO 29.63 INCHES, LEAVING IT AT 29.92 INCHES. THE SO FAILED TO VERIFY THE CORRECT SETTING DURING THE IN-RANGE CHK. THE FO WAS USING HIS ALTIMETER DURING THIS AGGRESSIVE DSCNT SO HE LEVELED OFF TO MEET THE XING RESTR AT 40 DME, BUT ENDED UP 300 FT LOW WITH REF TO THE CAPT (XPONDER) ALTIMETER (WHICH WAS CORRECTLY SET AT 29.63 INCHES). WE IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO 11000 FT AS ASSIGNED. I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY TFC CONFLICTS.

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.