Narrative:

After takeoff from atl and climbing through 16000-17000 ft, the flight attendant called and inquired as to seat belt, rough ride, thunderstorms, etc. This got us both occupied and I forgot to do the climb checklist, thus missing altimeter setting 29.92. The rest of the climb was done in steps, ie, as we approached FL240 we were given FL260, etc. After leveloff at FL350 and sitting fat, dumb and happy, ATC asked us to check our altimeter for 29.92. Ours were set at 29.61, thus making us 250-300 ft high. ATC said no problem, and we descended. The biggest problem I have in this airplane is the going back and forth between 2 man and 3 man crews. When I get busy or have something out of the norm happen, I usually miss something. The other problem is interruptions by the flight attendants, even after briefing them about the ride and seat belt. They also don't seem to pass information along to the other flight attendants causing us to tell them the same thing 2 or 3 times. Maybe it's time for sterile cockpits for climb and descent also.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11 FLC FORGOT TO RESET ALTIMETERS CLBING THROUGH FL180, DISTR BY OTHER COCKPIT TASKS ACTIVITIES. PIC CITES OTHER DISTRACTIONS CAUSED BY MULTIPLE FLT ATTENDANT INQUIRIES AND COMPANY POLICY CHANGES TO COCKPIT STAFFING.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM ATL AND CLBING THROUGH 16000-17000 FT, THE FLT ATTENDANT CALLED AND INQUIRED AS TO SEAT BELT, ROUGH RIDE, TSTMS, ETC. THIS GOT US BOTH OCCUPIED AND I FORGOT TO DO THE CLB CHKLIST, THUS MISSING ALTIMETER SETTING 29.92. THE REST OF THE CLB WAS DONE IN STEPS, IE, AS WE APCHED FL240 WE WERE GIVEN FL260, ETC. AFTER LEVELOFF AT FL350 AND SITTING FAT, DUMB AND HAPPY, ATC ASKED US TO CHK OUR ALTIMETER FOR 29.92. OURS WERE SET AT 29.61, THUS MAKING US 250-300 FT HIGH. ATC SAID NO PROB, AND WE DSNDED. THE BIGGEST PROB I HAVE IN THIS AIRPLANE IS THE GOING BACK AND FORTH BTWN 2 MAN AND 3 MAN CREWS. WHEN I GET BUSY OR HAVE SOMETHING OUT OF THE NORM HAPPEN, I USUALLY MISS SOMETHING. THE OTHER PROB IS INTERRUPTIONS BY THE FLT ATTENDANTS, EVEN AFTER BRIEFING THEM ABOUT THE RIDE AND SEAT BELT. THEY ALSO DON'T SEEM TO PASS INFO ALONG TO THE OTHER FLT ATTENDANTS CAUSING US TO TELL THEM THE SAME THING 2 OR 3 TIMES. MAYBE IT'S TIME FOR STERILE COCKPITS FOR CLB AND DSCNT ALSO.

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.