Altitude deviation altitude undershot in climb procedure. Wrong altimeter setting. Qnh versus QFE.

Attributes
ACN	343460
Time
Date	199607
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : chs
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 32700 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	other
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : military pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 145 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 720
ASRS Report	343460
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : military pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Altimeters were not reset to qne 29.92 after climbing through FL180, resulting in an altitude deviation of approximately 300 ft below altitude. Pilot, copilot, and crew chief were present at the time of the incident, as well as a loadmaster. Aircraft was cleared to FL330 after several leveloffs at lower altitudes for crossing traffic. Aircraft leveled at what appeared to be FL330. Center told aircraft to contact ZDC and stated that the aircraft appeared to be about 300 ft low for the last 40 mi, though he had been too busy to tell us earlier. Both pilots checked altimeter and discovered the error. Altimeters were then reset to 29.92. Contributing factors: 1) conversation with loadmaster. 2) pilot fatigue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT UNDERSHOT IN CLB PROC. WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING. QNH VERSUS QFE.

Narrative: ALTIMETERS WERE NOT RESET TO QNE 29.92 AFTER CLBING THROUGH FL180, RESULTING IN AN ALTDEV OF APPROX 300 FT BELOW ALT. PLT, COPLT, AND CREW CHIEF WERE PRESENT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, AS WELL AS A LOADMASTER. ACFT WAS CLRED TO FL330 AFTER SEVERAL LEVELOFFS AT LOWER ALTS FOR XING TFC. ACFT LEVELED AT WHAT APPEARED TO BE FL330. CTR TOLD ACFT TO CONTACT ZDC AND STATED THAT THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE ABOUT 300 FT LOW FOR THE LAST 40 MI, THOUGH HE HAD BEEN TOO BUSY TO TELL US EARLIER. BOTH PLTS CHKED ALTIMETER AND DISCOVERED THE ERROR. ALTIMETERS WERE THEN RESET TO 29.92. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) CONVERSATION WITH LOADMASTER. 2) PLT FATIGUE.

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.