A B737-400 has an altitude deviation during descent because the flight crew failed to reset altimete...

Attributes
ACN	396010
Time
Date	199803
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9700 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	396010
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During the last 45 mins of a 3 hour flight from clt to iah we had to do extensive deviations for WX and continuous dscnts for moderate turbulence. Approximately 90 mi from iah at FL240 we received the latest ATIS. The approach was briefed by me and I put the new altimeter (29.74 I believe) in the standby altimeter as well as the FMC descent page (#1 and #2 altimeters remained at 29.92). ATC requested us to descend to 10000 ft MSL. Due to turbulence I began a 'level change' descent which started us down at 3000-4000 FPM. At the same time the first officer stated that a new ATIS had come out with a different runway and that the WX was now 100 ft overcast and 1/4 mi. We both got out our new plates and discussed the low ceiling, I briefed the new approach and told the first officer to put the new approach in the FMC along with the missed approach which had to be built. There was some confusion about building the missed approach so I became involved with the build by directing the first officer what to put in it. The aircraft leveled at 10000 ft but I didn't notice I still had 29.92. The first officer had put the correct altimeter in his side at some point during the descent. He noticed we were low and stated 'altimeter' as ATC directed us to descend to 6000 ft. 1) I became involved with the FMC and stopped 'flying the aircraft' during descent (even though I briefed that it is our top priority during our departure brief). 2) failure to call for preliminary checklist passing through FL180. 3) the descent to 10000 ft was faster than normal due to a high rate of descent as well as starting out lower than normal. (FL240 instead of FL310 to FL370) there is usually plenty of time to brief the approach , do the preliminary checklist, and build the approach if necessary. I would guess I had less than 1/2 the normal time and therefore lost situational awareness. 4) preoccupation with making sure the FMC was correct even though it wasn't needed for an ILS approach. 5) failure to call out FL180 during the descent which would have triggered the new altitude setting.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-400 HAS AN ALTDEV DURING DSCNT BECAUSE THE FLC FAILED TO RESET ALTIMETER TO 29 PT 92 IN IAH, TX, AIRSPACE.

Narrative: DURING THE LAST 45 MINS OF A 3 HR FLT FROM CLT TO IAH WE HAD TO DO EXTENSIVE DEVS FOR WX AND CONTINUOUS DSCNTS FOR MODERATE TURB. APPROX 90 MI FROM IAH AT FL240 WE RECEIVED THE LATEST ATIS. THE APCH WAS BRIEFED BY ME AND I PUT THE NEW ALTIMETER (29.74 I BELIEVE) IN THE STANDBY ALTIMETER AS WELL AS THE FMC DSCNT PAGE (#1 AND #2 ALTIMETERS REMAINED AT 29.92). ATC REQUESTED US TO DSND TO 10000 FT MSL. DUE TO TURB I BEGAN A 'LEVEL CHANGE' DSCNT WHICH STARTED US DOWN AT 3000-4000 FPM. AT THE SAME TIME THE FO STATED THAT A NEW ATIS HAD COME OUT WITH A DIFFERENT RWY AND THAT THE WX WAS NOW 100 FT OVCST AND 1/4 MI. WE BOTH GOT OUT OUR NEW PLATES AND DISCUSSED THE LOW CEILING, I BRIEFED THE NEW APCH AND TOLD THE FO TO PUT THE NEW APCH IN THE FMC ALONG WITH THE MISSED APCH WHICH HAD TO BE BUILT. THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT BUILDING THE MISSED APCH SO I BECAME INVOLVED WITH THE BUILD BY DIRECTING THE FO WHAT TO PUT IN IT. THE ACFT LEVELED AT 10000 FT BUT I DIDN'T NOTICE I STILL HAD 29.92. THE FO HAD PUT THE CORRECT ALTIMETER IN HIS SIDE AT SOME POINT DURING THE DSCNT. HE NOTICED WE WERE LOW AND STATED 'ALTIMETER' AS ATC DIRECTED US TO DSND TO 6000 FT. 1) I BECAME INVOLVED WITH THE FMC AND STOPPED 'FLYING THE ACFT' DURING DSCNT (EVEN THOUGH I BRIEFED THAT IT IS OUR TOP PRIORITY DURING OUR DEP BRIEF). 2) FAILURE TO CALL FOR PRELIMINARY CHKLIST PASSING THROUGH FL180. 3) THE DSCNT TO 10000 FT WAS FASTER THAN NORMAL DUE TO A HIGH RATE OF DSCNT AS WELL AS STARTING OUT LOWER THAN NORMAL. (FL240 INSTEAD OF FL310 TO FL370) THERE IS USUALLY PLENTY OF TIME TO BRIEF THE APCH , DO THE PRELIMINARY CHKLIST, AND BUILD THE APCH IF NECESSARY. I WOULD GUESS I HAD LESS THAN 1/2 THE NORMAL TIME AND THEREFORE LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. 4) PREOCCUPATION WITH MAKING SURE THE FMC WAS CORRECT EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T NEEDED FOR AN ILS APCH. 5) FAILURE TO CALL OUT FL180 DURING THE DSCNT WHICH WOULD HAVE TRIGGERED THE NEW ALT SETTING.

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.

A B737-400 has an altitude deviation during descent because the flight crew failed to reset altimeter to 29 pt 92 in iah, tx, airspace.