Flight crew of an light transport atx jet forgot to reset their altimeters passing through FL180 res...

Attributes
ACN	387290
Time
Date	199711
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : etx
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 28400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5800 flight time type : 750
ASRS Report	387290
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Shortly after leveling off at our cruise altitude of 28000 ft, ZNY asked us if we showed level at FL280. I replied yes, as both altimeters showed us exactly at 28000 ft. After I replied though, I noticed that neither of our altimeters were changed to 29.92 from the last local altimeter setting of 29.53. I then reset the altimeters to 29.92, and later asked ATC if they now showed us at FL280. They replied they did. I then made some remark about one of our xponders being sporadically faulty, which is true. I knew very well though, the real reason for our altitude excursion. Climbing through 18000 ft when we should have reset the altimeters, we were in IMC with continuous moderate turbulence, moderate ice, and scattered thunderstorms. As the PNF, I was busy checking the wings, cycling the deice boots, and tilting the radar, to keep us out of the really big stuff. Preoccupied with the WX, we both missed the 18000 ft call. A small complication also comes to mind. The first officer's altimeter on this particular airplane only has the setting in millibars. It does not display the setting in inches, which we normally use. Maybe if it did display in inches, the first officer (PF) would have noticed something didn't look right above 18000 ft. The bottom line though, is no matter what distractions we have, we must still maintain our diligence and perform all required actions, which we did not do here.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LTT ATX JET FORGOT TO RESET THEIR ALTIMETERS PASSING THROUGH FL180 RESULTING IN ATC INTERVENTION TO DSND TO THEIR ACTUAL ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING OFF AT OUR CRUISE ALT OF 28000 FT, ZNY ASKED US IF WE SHOWED LEVEL AT FL280. I REPLIED YES, AS BOTH ALTIMETERS SHOWED US EXACTLY AT 28000 FT. AFTER I REPLIED THOUGH, I NOTICED THAT NEITHER OF OUR ALTIMETERS WERE CHANGED TO 29.92 FROM THE LAST LCL ALTIMETER SETTING OF 29.53. I THEN RESET THE ALTIMETERS TO 29.92, AND LATER ASKED ATC IF THEY NOW SHOWED US AT FL280. THEY REPLIED THEY DID. I THEN MADE SOME REMARK ABOUT ONE OF OUR XPONDERS BEING SPORADICALLY FAULTY, WHICH IS TRUE. I KNEW VERY WELL THOUGH, THE REAL REASON FOR OUR ALT EXCURSION. CLBING THROUGH 18000 FT WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE RESET THE ALTIMETERS, WE WERE IN IMC WITH CONTINUOUS MODERATE TURB, MODERATE ICE, AND SCATTERED TSTMS. AS THE PNF, I WAS BUSY CHKING THE WINGS, CYCLING THE DEICE BOOTS, AND TILTING THE RADAR, TO KEEP US OUT OF THE REALLY BIG STUFF. PREOCCUPIED WITH THE WX, WE BOTH MISSED THE 18000 FT CALL. A SMALL COMPLICATION ALSO COMES TO MIND. THE FO'S ALTIMETER ON THIS PARTICULAR AIRPLANE ONLY HAS THE SETTING IN MILLIBARS. IT DOES NOT DISPLAY THE SETTING IN INCHES, WHICH WE NORMALLY USE. MAYBE IF IT DID DISPLAY IN INCHES, THE FO (PF) WOULD HAVE NOTICED SOMETHING DIDN'T LOOK RIGHT ABOVE 18000 FT. THE BOTTOM LINE THOUGH, IS NO MATTER WHAT DISTRACTIONS WE HAVE, WE MUST STILL MAINTAIN OUR DILIGENCE AND PERFORM ALL REQUIRED ACTIONS, WHICH WE DID NOT DO HERE.

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.

Flight crew of an light transport atx jet forgot to reset their altimeters passing through FL180 resulting in ATC intervention to descend to their actual assigned altitude.