<< >> NASA ASRS Report 355840, December 1996

An air carrier descending to 13000 ft overshot the altitude by 300 ft. The first officer failed to reset the altimeter descending through FL180. As the flight crew begins to correct, ATC questions the low altitude.

Attributes
ACN	355840
Time
Date	199612
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12700 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
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 : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	355840
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
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:

On descent for approach into den we were cleared to descend to 13000 ft MSL. It was set in altitude alert window and descent was initiated using the autoplt. The captain's altimeter was set for local altimeter. My altimeter was still at 29.92. We were busy setting up radios, talking to ATC, and running checklists when we noticed the airplane had leveled off 300 ft low. We began a climb to correct it and approach control asked to verify altitude. We releveled at 13000 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DSNDING TO 13000 FT OVERSHOT THE ALT BY 300 FT. THE FO FAILED TO RESET THE ALTIMETER DSNDING THROUGH FL180. AS THE FLC BEGINS TO CORRECT, ATC QUESTIONS THE LOW ALT.

Narrative: ON DSCNT FOR APCH INTO DEN WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 13000 FT MSL. IT WAS SET IN ALT ALERT WINDOW AND DSCNT WAS INITIATED USING THE AUTOPLT. THE CAPT'S ALTIMETER WAS SET FOR LOCAL ALTIMETER. MY ALTIMETER WAS STILL AT 29.92. WE WERE BUSY SETTING UP RADIOS, TALKING TO ATC, AND RUNNING CHKLISTS WHEN WE NOTICED THE AIRPLANE HAD LEVELED OFF 300 FT LOW. WE BEGAN A CLB TO CORRECT IT AND APCH CTL ASKED TO VERIFY ALT. WE RELEVELED AT 13000 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.