Narrative:

Bus ride to airport was longer than normal (2 hours duration) due to traffic, strong winds, rainy sleet, and snow. At airport the precipitation stopped, temperature above freezing, but gusty winds. Just prior to takeoff, bad turbulence at 200 ft reported by a missed approach aircraft (visibility good). After takeoff we began to be radar vectored, taking us off of the SID. We entered an area of moderate to heavy rain, temperature around freezing, but no turbulence. Altitude was around 500-800 ft and shortly thereafter a large report with a large white flash took place on right side of aircraft (either static discharge or lightning strike, suspect static discharge). A strong to medium burnt smell occurred in cockpit and cabin. Concerned with passenger anxiety, the relief pilot was directed to make a PA to explain what had occurred and that there was nothing to be alarmed about. We were now out of the rain and clouds, being radar vectored to the west and cleared of clouds. The after takeoff check had been performed after gear retraction, with only altimeter reset and lights to be turned off. Prior to reaching our assigned flight level of FL130, we were advised by ATC that we had departed FL130, a quick end to the climb and descent was done. Problem: altimeter setting was 974 hectapascals (28.76 inches) and transition altitude of 5000 ft. With our concern for the WX, static discharge, and radar vectors, the altimeter had not been set to 1013 hectapascals (29.92 inches) passing the transition altitude. More vigilance to european transition altitude (5000 ft versus normal united states 18000 ft) is required, especially when confronted with distrs coming from unusual flight conditions. With this large of a difference from normal altimeter settings, this problem should be prominent in the predep briefing. Aircraft was an FMS intensive MD11, crew very experienced.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11 ON DEP LGW IN STORMY WX CONDITIONS DISTR BY STATIC DISCHARGE OR POSSIBLE LIGHTNING STRIKE FAILS TO SET ALTIMETER AT TRANSITION ALT RESULTING IN ALT OVERSHOOT AT ASSIGNED ALT OF FL130.

Narrative: BUS RIDE TO ARPT WAS LONGER THAN NORMAL (2 HRS DURATION) DUE TO TFC, STRONG WINDS, RAINY SLEET, AND SNOW. AT ARPT THE PRECIP STOPPED, TEMP ABOVE FREEZING, BUT GUSTY WINDS. JUST PRIOR TO TKOF, BAD TURB AT 200 FT RPTED BY A MISSED APCH ACFT (VISIBILITY GOOD). AFTER TKOF WE BEGAN TO BE RADAR VECTORED, TAKING US OFF OF THE SID. WE ENTERED AN AREA OF MODERATE TO HVY RAIN, TEMP AROUND FREEZING, BUT NO TURB. ALT WAS AROUND 500-800 FT AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER A LARGE RPT WITH A LARGE WHITE FLASH TOOK PLACE ON R SIDE OF ACFT (EITHER STATIC DISCHARGE OR LIGHTNING STRIKE, SUSPECT STATIC DISCHARGE). A STRONG TO MEDIUM BURNT SMELL OCCURRED IN COCKPIT AND CABIN. CONCERNED WITH PAX ANXIETY, THE RELIEF PLT WAS DIRECTED TO MAKE A PA TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAD OCCURRED AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE ALARMED ABOUT. WE WERE NOW OUT OF THE RAIN AND CLOUDS, BEING RADAR VECTORED TO THE W AND CLRED OF CLOUDS. THE AFTER TKOF CHK HAD BEEN PERFORMED AFTER GEAR RETRACTION, WITH ONLY ALTIMETER RESET AND LIGHTS TO BE TURNED OFF. PRIOR TO REACHING OUR ASSIGNED FLT LEVEL OF FL130, WE WERE ADVISED BY ATC THAT WE HAD DEPARTED FL130, A QUICK END TO THE CLB AND DSCNT WAS DONE. PROB: ALTIMETER SETTING WAS 974 HECTAPASCALS (28.76 INCHES) AND TRANSITION ALT OF 5000 FT. WITH OUR CONCERN FOR THE WX, STATIC DISCHARGE, AND RADAR VECTORS, THE ALTIMETER HAD NOT BEEN SET TO 1013 HECTAPASCALS (29.92 INCHES) PASSING THE TRANSITION ALT. MORE VIGILANCE TO EUROPEAN TRANSITION ALT (5000 FT VERSUS NORMAL UNITED STATES 18000 FT) IS REQUIRED, ESPECIALLY WHEN CONFRONTED WITH DISTRS COMING FROM UNUSUAL FLT CONDITIONS. WITH THIS LARGE OF A DIFFERENCE FROM NORMAL ALTIMETER SETTINGS, THIS PROB SHOULD BE PROMINENT IN THE PREDEP BRIEFING. ACFT WAS AN FMS INTENSIVE MD11, CREW VERY EXPERIENCED.

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.