An air carrier mdt flight crew descended below their assigned altitude when the first officer set the altimeter to the wrong setting. The flight crew, apparently, did not accomplish a descent checklist.

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Attributes
ACN	357064
Time
Date	199701
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : azo
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
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
Route In Use	enroute airway : zau
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 280 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	357064
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 12500
ASRS Report	357060
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While in the descent, I set my altimeter to the setting I saw in the standby altimeter (29.97). We were cleared to descend to 11000 ft. As I was passing about 11300 ft the captain notified me that I had descended through 11000 ft. Actual altimeter was 29.40. When I set that in, we were at about 10600 ft. I then climbed back to 11000 ft. Normal procedure is to set the altimeter into the standby at the top of the descent then put it into the main altimeters passing FL180. I should have confirmed the altimeter setting with the captain before entering it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MDT FLC DSNDED BELOW THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THE FO SET THE ALTIMETER TO THE WRONG SETTING. THE FLC, APPARENTLY, DID NOT ACCOMPLISH A DSCNT CHKLIST.

Narrative: WHILE IN THE DSCNT, I SET MY ALTIMETER TO THE SETTING I SAW IN THE STANDBY ALTIMETER (29.97). WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 11000 FT. AS I WAS PASSING ABOUT 11300 FT THE CAPT NOTIFIED ME THAT I HAD DSNDED THROUGH 11000 FT. ACTUAL ALTIMETER WAS 29.40. WHEN I SET THAT IN, WE WERE AT ABOUT 10600 FT. I THEN CLBED BACK TO 11000 FT. NORMAL PROC IS TO SET THE ALTIMETER INTO THE STANDBY AT THE TOP OF THE DSCNT THEN PUT IT INTO THE MAIN ALTIMETERS PASSING FL180. I SHOULD HAVE CONFIRMED THE ALTIMETER SETTING WITH THE CAPT BEFORE ENTERING IT.

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.