A BE20 captain on a check ride doesn't set the altimeter, and is 400 ft off of assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	577499
Time
Date	200303
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ind.airport
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ind.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Super King Air 200 HDC
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ind.tracon
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 2063 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	577499
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
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:

I was being given a 297 check. It was my first one as captain. The examiner and I did not discuss who would do what. I was expecting him to run checklist, and he apparently was expecting me to act as a single pilot. As it turned out, neither of us set the correct altimeter, as a result of each of us expecting the other to do it. As I leveled off at our assigned altitude of 5000 ft, the controller queried us, as to our altimeter setting, and mentioned we had traffic at 11 O'clock and 2 mi. He gave us the current altimeter setting, and we descended down to 5000 ft from 5400 ft as the other aircraft passed over us. I was a little nervous and hesitant to insist that the examiner run the checklist. I should have briefed him as to what I expected from him, even though he was the examiner, I was the captain. In the future, I will brief the examiner as to what my expectations of him are during my preflight briefing. I was more concerned with passing my chkride and not 'bothering' the examiner with setting up the cockpit as all of the first officer's do.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE20 CAPT ON A CHK RIDE DOESN'T SET THE ALTIMETER, AND IS 400 FT OFF OF ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: I WAS BEING GIVEN A 297 CHK. IT WAS MY FIRST ONE AS CAPT. THE EXAMINER AND I DID NOT DISCUSS WHO WOULD DO WHAT. I WAS EXPECTING HIM TO RUN CHKLIST, AND HE APPARENTLY WAS EXPECTING ME TO ACT AS A SINGLE PLT. AS IT TURNED OUT, NEITHER OF US SET THE CORRECT ALTIMETER, AS A RESULT OF EACH OF US EXPECTING THE OTHER TO DO IT. AS I LEVELED OFF AT OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 5000 FT, THE CTLR QUERIED US, AS TO OUR ALTIMETER SETTING, AND MENTIONED WE HAD TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK AND 2 MI. HE GAVE US THE CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING, AND WE DSNDED DOWN TO 5000 FT FROM 5400 FT AS THE OTHER ACFT PASSED OVER US. I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS AND HESITANT TO INSIST THAT THE EXAMINER RUN THE CHKLIST. I SHOULD HAVE BRIEFED HIM AS TO WHAT I EXPECTED FROM HIM, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS THE EXAMINER, I WAS THE CAPT. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL BRIEF THE EXAMINER AS TO WHAT MY EXPECTATIONS OF HIM ARE DURING MY PREFLT BRIEFING. I WAS MORE CONCERNED WITH PASSING MY CHKRIDE AND NOT 'BOTHERING' THE EXAMINER WITH SETTING UP THE COCKPIT AS ALL OF THE FO'S DO.

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.