Narrative:

Altimeter setting leaving anchorage was 28.84. On climb out passing through FL180 the captain called for .92 climb check. We both set 28.92 instead of 29.92. After reaching FL310 I reported level with zan. Her response was say altitude. I said FL310. The controller said I'm showing FL320, check altimeter setting. We set our altimeters correctly and descended to FL310. Contributing factor was, we were en route to kodiak and the WX was poor so we were discussing our approach as descent begins shortly after leveloff. Being a short flight I tried to persuade the captain to decide on which approach before we left anc. He remained undecided. With the WX constantly changing because of area snow storms, it created discussion during climb out which distracted us from a proper altimeter setting. Having to build an approach with a DME arc and missed approach in the FMC for an FMS aircraft takes some time. It can create a rushed feeling when your top of descent point is within mins of top of climb point. FMS aircraft reduce workload except during short flts it can have the opposite effect. Low altimeter setting, constantly changing WX, short flight with high workload for FMC, both crew members failing to xchk each other, and the PF being undecided which approach to execute. Those were the contributing factors.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B737-400 LEVELED OFF 1000 FT ABOVE CRUISE ALT DUE TO SETTING THE WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING WHEN CLBING THROUGH FL180. ATC INTERVENED AND CALLED THE WRONG ALT OUT TO THE CREW AND ASKED THEM TO RECHK THEIR ALTIMETER SETTING.

Narrative: ALTIMETER SETTING LEAVING ANCHORAGE WAS 28.84. ON CLBOUT PASSING THROUGH FL180 THE CAPT CALLED FOR .92 CLB CHK. WE BOTH SET 28.92 INSTEAD OF 29.92. AFTER REACHING FL310 I RPTED LEVEL WITH ZAN. HER RESPONSE WAS SAY ALT. I SAID FL310. THE CTLR SAID I'M SHOWING FL320, CHK ALTIMETER SETTING. WE SET OUR ALTIMETERS CORRECTLY AND DSNDED TO FL310. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS, WE WERE ENRTE TO KODIAK AND THE WX WAS POOR SO WE WERE DISCUSSING OUR APCH AS DSCNT BEGINS SHORTLY AFTER LEVELOFF. BEING A SHORT FLT I TRIED TO PERSUADE THE CAPT TO DECIDE ON WHICH APCH BEFORE WE LEFT ANC. HE REMAINED UNDECIDED. WITH THE WX CONSTANTLY CHANGING BECAUSE OF AREA SNOW STORMS, IT CREATED DISCUSSION DURING CLBOUT WHICH DISTRACTED US FROM A PROPER ALTIMETER SETTING. HAVING TO BUILD AN APCH WITH A DME ARC AND MISSED APCH IN THE FMC FOR AN FMS ACFT TAKES SOME TIME. IT CAN CREATE A RUSHED FEELING WHEN YOUR TOP OF DSCNT POINT IS WITHIN MINS OF TOP OF CLB POINT. FMS ACFT REDUCE WORKLOAD EXCEPT DURING SHORT FLTS IT CAN HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT. LOW ALTIMETER SETTING, CONSTANTLY CHANGING WX, SHORT FLT WITH HIGH WORKLOAD FOR FMC, BOTH CREW MEMBERS FAILING TO XCHK EACH OTHER, AND THE PF BEING UNDECIDED WHICH APCH TO EXECUTE. THOSE WERE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

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.