Military DC9 crew did not set qne at the transition level.

Attributes
ACN	468750
Time
Date	200004
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : irk.vortac
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34720 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : military pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	468750
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : military pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 1900 flight time type : 225
ASRS Report	468751
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We accidentally leveled off at 34720 ft instead of FL350. We took off with an altimeter setting of 30.22. Both crew members missed resetting the altimeter to 29.92 passing through FL180. Distractions in the cockpit more than likely distracted us. Crew members from the back asking questions, etc. We discovered the problem when ATC informed us they had showed us level below assigned altitude for 30 seconds. We then discovered the altimeter setting was not 29.92, reset it, and climbed 280 ft to level at FL350. Supplemental information from acn 468751: leveled off at 34,720 ft due to not setting 29.92 passing the transition altitude. Altimeter setting of 30.22 gave us our filed altitude of FL350 until center said we were 'a couple hundred ft low' for about 30 seconds. A more sterile cockpit for the entire climb profile and a procedure of waiting until the transition altitude would have prevented this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL DC9 CREW DID NOT SET QNE AT THE TRANSITION LEVEL.

Narrative: WE ACCIDENTALLY LEVELED OFF AT 34720 FT INSTEAD OF FL350. WE TOOK OFF WITH AN ALTIMETER SETTING OF 30.22. BOTH CREW MEMBERS MISSED RESETTING THE ALTIMETER TO 29.92 PASSING THROUGH FL180. DISTRACTIONS IN THE COCKPIT MORE THAN LIKELY DISTRACTED US. CREW MEMBERS FROM THE BACK ASKING QUESTIONS, ETC. WE DISCOVERED THE PROB WHEN ATC INFORMED US THEY HAD SHOWED US LEVEL BELOW ASSIGNED ALT FOR 30 SECONDS. WE THEN DISCOVERED THE ALTIMETER SETTING WAS NOT 29.92, RESET IT, AND CLBED 280 FT TO LEVEL AT FL350. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 468751: LEVELED OFF AT 34,720 FT DUE TO NOT SETTING 29.92 PASSING THE TRANSITION ALT. ALTIMETER SETTING OF 30.22 GAVE US OUR FILED ALT OF FL350 UNTIL CTR SAID WE WERE 'A COUPLE HUNDRED FT LOW' FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS. A MORE STERILE COCKPIT FOR THE ENTIRE CLB PROFILE AND A PROC OF WAITING UNTIL THE TRANSITION ALT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS.

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.