Widebody transport cargo crew misset their altimeters 1 inch low when going through the transition l...

Attributes
ACN	421104
Time
Date	199811
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : anc
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	421104
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During climb through FL180, captain and first officer inadvertently set altimeters from 28.87 to 28.92. It wasn't until leveloff at FL299 that ATC questioned our altitude, saying we were 'indicating FL299 on his screen. Captain and first officer both quickly put altimeters to 29.92 and descended to FL290 (assigned). There was no traffic conflict. If I could recommend a change, if altimeters looked different at 29.92 from all others, error would have been caught 'at a glance.' I think there may have been distrs going through FL180 (turbulence, ice, new direct routings, frequency changes, etc). It surprises me that both captain and first officer inadvertently set 28.92 instead of 29.92. Therefore, if we were expecting a different color (or whatever) as we quickly set, or attempted to set, 29.92, then not seeing this color when we set 28.92 would have tripped something in our brains that something wasn't right.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB CARGO CREW MISSET THEIR ALTIMETERS 1 INCH LOW WHEN GOING THROUGH THE TRANSITION LEVEL.

Narrative: DURING CLB THROUGH FL180, CAPT AND FO INADVERTENTLY SET ALTIMETERS FROM 28.87 TO 28.92. IT WASN'T UNTIL LEVELOFF AT FL299 THAT ATC QUESTIONED OUR ALT, SAYING WE WERE 'INDICATING FL299 ON HIS SCREEN. CAPT AND FO BOTH QUICKLY PUT ALTIMETERS TO 29.92 AND DSNDED TO FL290 (ASSIGNED). THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT. IF I COULD RECOMMEND A CHANGE, IF ALTIMETERS LOOKED DIFFERENT AT 29.92 FROM ALL OTHERS, ERROR WOULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT 'AT A GLANCE.' I THINK THERE MAY HAVE BEEN DISTRS GOING THROUGH FL180 (TURB, ICE, NEW DIRECT ROUTINGS, FREQ CHANGES, ETC). IT SURPRISES ME THAT BOTH CAPT AND FO INADVERTENTLY SET 28.92 INSTEAD OF 29.92. THEREFORE, IF WE WERE EXPECTING A DIFFERENT COLOR (OR WHATEVER) AS WE QUICKLY SET, OR ATTEMPTED TO SET, 29.92, THEN NOT SEEING THIS COLOR WHEN WE SET 28.92 WOULD HAVE TRIPPED SOMETHING IN OUR BRAINS THAT SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT.

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.

Widebody transport cargo crew misset their altimeters 1 inch low when going through the transition level.