Not setting the altimeter to qne passing FL180 results in an altitude undershoot.

Attributes
ACN	566627
Time
Date	200211
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zlc.artcc
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 40500 msl bound upper : 41000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	566627
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flying B757 at very light weight and climbing to FL410. ATC requested expedited climb through FL350. We were climbing so fast, we missed setting our altimeters to 29.92 passing through FL180. We climbed all the way to cruise altitude (FL410) and did not catch the error until ATC asked us for a wind readout 'when' we got to FL410. We said we were level at FL410. ATC advised we were indicating FL405 on his radar. We had departed boi with an abnormally high altimeter setting of 30.51. This we left set until cruise, which put us 500 or so ft low. We then set our altimeters to 29.92 and finished our climb to FL410. Contributing to this incident: 1) abnormally light weight and corresponding 'super' performance. 2) distraction of trying to expedite climb and be 'through' FL350 within 5 mins (as requested). 3) flying directly into the sunrise with no cloud cover with this condition, the instrument panel is blacklighted and very difficult to see without head movement and hands lifted over eyes to block the sun. 4) abnormally high altimeter setting of 30.51 at departure airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NOT SETTING THE ALTIMETER TO QNE PASSING FL180 RESULTS IN AN ALT UNDERSHOOT.

Narrative: FLYING B757 AT VERY LIGHT WT AND CLBING TO FL410. ATC REQUESTED EXPEDITED CLB THROUGH FL350. WE WERE CLBING SO FAST, WE MISSED SETTING OUR ALTIMETERS TO 29.92 PASSING THROUGH FL180. WE CLBED ALL THE WAY TO CRUISE ALT (FL410) AND DID NOT CATCH THE ERROR UNTIL ATC ASKED US FOR A WIND READOUT 'WHEN' WE GOT TO FL410. WE SAID WE WERE LEVEL AT FL410. ATC ADVISED WE WERE INDICATING FL405 ON HIS RADAR. WE HAD DEPARTED BOI WITH AN ABNORMALLY HIGH ALTIMETER SETTING OF 30.51. THIS WE LEFT SET UNTIL CRUISE, WHICH PUT US 500 OR SO FT LOW. WE THEN SET OUR ALTIMETERS TO 29.92 AND FINISHED OUR CLB TO FL410. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS INCIDENT: 1) ABNORMALLY LIGHT WT AND CORRESPONDING 'SUPER' PERFORMANCE. 2) DISTR OF TRYING TO EXPEDITE CLB AND BE 'THROUGH' FL350 WITHIN 5 MINS (AS REQUESTED). 3) FLYING DIRECTLY INTO THE SUNRISE WITH NO CLOUD COVER WITH THIS CONDITION, THE INST PANEL IS BLACKLIGHTED AND VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE WITHOUT HEAD MOVEMENT AND HANDS LIFTED OVER EYES TO BLOCK THE SUN. 4) ABNORMALLY HIGH ALTIMETER SETTING OF 30.51 AT DEP ARPT.

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.