<< >> NASA ASRS Report 570936, January 2003

MD88 flight crew was distraction by eating and forgot to change altimeter setting passing the transition altitude.

Attributes
ACN	570936
Time
Date	200301
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : vhp.vortac
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26700 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 12500 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	570936
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On climb out from indianapolis, I turned on the autoplt at about 13000 ft and began to prepare and eat my crew meal. It was around XI00 and we had had no chance to eat a meal since XA00 earlier that day. While doing so, we passed through the transition altitude without noticing. The first officer was also preparing to eat and missed transition. We leveled at FL290, but immediately asked for lower due to turbulence. We were issued FL270, and shortly after leveling off, ATC informed us that we appeared to be 300 ft low. We changed the altimeters from 30.29 to 29.92 and adjusted our altitude. To prevent recurrence, I won't be eating crew meals below transition altitude again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 FLC WAS DISTR BY EATING AND FORGOT TO CHANGE ALTIMETER SETTING PASSING THE TRANSITION ALT.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM INDIANAPOLIS, I TURNED ON THE AUTOPLT AT ABOUT 13000 FT AND BEGAN TO PREPARE AND EAT MY CREW MEAL. IT WAS AROUND XI00 AND WE HAD HAD NO CHANCE TO EAT A MEAL SINCE XA00 EARLIER THAT DAY. WHILE DOING SO, WE PASSED THROUGH THE TRANSITION ALT WITHOUT NOTICING. THE FO WAS ALSO PREPARING TO EAT AND MISSED TRANSITION. WE LEVELED AT FL290, BUT IMMEDIATELY ASKED FOR LOWER DUE TO TURB. WE WERE ISSUED FL270, AND SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING OFF, ATC INFORMED US THAT WE APPEARED TO BE 300 FT LOW. WE CHANGED THE ALTIMETERS FROM 30.29 TO 29.92 AND ADJUSTED OUR ALT. TO PREVENT RECURRENCE, I WON'T BE EATING CREW MEALS BELOW TRANSITION ALT AGAIN.

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.