Narrative:

We were flying radar vectors approaching amsterdam in light to moderate turbulence due to strong surface winds. As is common in europe, the altitude to switch from qne to qnh was quite low by american standards, 3000 ft in this case. We were approximately 20 NM northwest of amsterdam at 4000 ft, and the controller assigned 3000 ft, issued the local altimeter setting in hecto-pascals, and assigned a heading and airspeed. The airspeed change required a confign change. We called out the various items, but in the activity, the PF set the correct digits in the incorrect window of his altimeter. We are supposed to call out 'inches' or 'hecto-pascals,' but I suspect he verbalized only the digits. I noticed that he was descending through the assigned altitude on my altimeter, and I called out the discrepancy. He was slow to correct, because his altimeter indicated that he was just approaching the assigned altitude of 3000 ft. I looked at his altimeter and immediately knew the cause of the problem. He reset his altimeter, and we corrected back to the assigned altitude. We have an elaborate set of callouts associated with resetting altimeters, and it works well domestically and during climb out in europe where there is time to execute the procedure. As is typical, when crowded, we sometimes abbreviate the callouts, and we sometimes make errors. In this 3 pilot cockpit, I am disappointed the so did not catch the error. I don't know why the lower changeover altitudes are common in europe, but they crowd us on this crucial item.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DC10 FLC DSNDED BELOW THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THEY MISSET THEIR ALTIMETER.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING RADAR VECTORS APCHING AMSTERDAM IN LIGHT TO MODERATE TURB DUE TO STRONG SURFACE WINDS. AS IS COMMON IN EUROPE, THE ALT TO SWITCH FROM QNE TO QNH WAS QUITE LOW BY AMERICAN STANDARDS, 3000 FT IN THIS CASE. WE WERE APPROX 20 NM NW OF AMSTERDAM AT 4000 FT, AND THE CTLR ASSIGNED 3000 FT, ISSUED THE LCL ALTIMETER SETTING IN HECTO-PASCALS, AND ASSIGNED A HDG AND AIRSPD. THE AIRSPD CHANGE REQUIRED A CONFIGN CHANGE. WE CALLED OUT THE VARIOUS ITEMS, BUT IN THE ACTIVITY, THE PF SET THE CORRECT DIGITS IN THE INCORRECT WINDOW OF HIS ALTIMETER. WE ARE SUPPOSED TO CALL OUT 'INCHES' OR 'HECTO-PASCALS,' BUT I SUSPECT HE VERBALIZED ONLY THE DIGITS. I NOTICED THAT HE WAS DSNDING THROUGH THE ASSIGNED ALT ON MY ALTIMETER, AND I CALLED OUT THE DISCREPANCY. HE WAS SLOW TO CORRECT, BECAUSE HIS ALTIMETER INDICATED THAT HE WAS JUST APCHING THE ASSIGNED ALT OF 3000 FT. I LOOKED AT HIS ALTIMETER AND IMMEDIATELY KNEW THE CAUSE OF THE PROB. HE RESET HIS ALTIMETER, AND WE CORRECTED BACK TO THE ASSIGNED ALT. WE HAVE AN ELABORATE SET OF CALLOUTS ASSOCIATED WITH RESETTING ALTIMETERS, AND IT WORKS WELL DOMESTICALLY AND DURING CLBOUT IN EUROPE WHERE THERE IS TIME TO EXECUTE THE PROC. AS IS TYPICAL, WHEN CROWDED, WE SOMETIMES ABBREVIATE THE CALLOUTS, AND WE SOMETIMES MAKE ERRORS. IN THIS 3 PLT COCKPIT, I AM DISAPPOINTED THE SO DID NOT CATCH THE ERROR. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE LOWER CHANGEOVER ALTS ARE COMMON IN EUROPE, BUT THEY CROWD US ON THIS CRUCIAL ITEM.

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.