Flight crew of B737-300 neglects to reset altimeter when passing through FL180.

Attributes
ACN	396250
Time
Date	199802
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 23300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 13500 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	396250
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	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
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Climbing through 17000 ft on departure from bwi, we were directed to 'intercept dca 246 degree radial on course' (flying 210 degree heading). Had to build extended fix for LNAV 'intercept leg.' upon doing this, I asked captain for confirmation prior to inputting. She studied it and confirmed action. Watched the autoplt intercept what looked to be slightly early on raw data. About that time ZDC asked us to confirm FL230 altitude. Both of us realized immediately that we had not set 29.92 passing 18000 ft MSL. Set in standard (departure altimeter 29.60) and descended to FL230. An abnormal instruction, vectored 240 degrees then 210 degrees and instructed to intercept a radial not on our flight plan, east of fluky intersection, distracted us momentarily and 29.92 was not set in passing 18000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF B737-300 NEGLECTS TO RESET ALTIMETER WHEN PASSING THROUGH FL180.

Narrative: CLBING THROUGH 17000 FT ON DEP FROM BWI, WE WERE DIRECTED TO 'INTERCEPT DCA 246 DEG RADIAL ON COURSE' (FLYING 210 DEG HDG). HAD TO BUILD EXTENDED FIX FOR LNAV 'INTERCEPT LEG.' UPON DOING THIS, I ASKED CAPT FOR CONFIRMATION PRIOR TO INPUTTING. SHE STUDIED IT AND CONFIRMED ACTION. WATCHED THE AUTOPLT INTERCEPT WHAT LOOKED TO BE SLIGHTLY EARLY ON RAW DATA. ABOUT THAT TIME ZDC ASKED US TO CONFIRM FL230 ALT. BOTH OF US REALIZED IMMEDIATELY THAT WE HAD NOT SET 29.92 PASSING 18000 FT MSL. SET IN STANDARD (DEP ALTIMETER 29.60) AND DSNDED TO FL230. AN ABNORMAL INSTRUCTION, VECTORED 240 DEGS THEN 210 DEGS AND INSTRUCTED TO INTERCEPT A RADIAL NOT ON OUR FLT PLAN, E OF FLUKY INTXN, DISTRACTED US MOMENTARILY AND 29.92 WAS NOT SET IN PASSING 18000 FT.

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.