Narrative:

At XA30 on the milton 3 arrival into lga. Cleared to cross marc at FL180. Just prior to descent, we received our crew meals. Descending, ATC cleared to cross vibes at 13000 ft with altimeter of 30.37. Passing through FL180, I was distraction with flight attendant getting trays, jumpseater coming back from restroom, to loading approach into FMC, reviewing lda-a into lga, and making vibes at 13000 ft. I did not change my altimeter from standard 29.92. ZNY stated to check altimeter showing 13400 ft and cleared us to descend to 10000 ft at beauty. Therefore, I missed the crossing restr at vibes. The human factor contributing to this mishap: 1) communication with the flight attendant on timing of meals -- first request she was too busy with passenger, I should have been more assertive with her. 2) not prioritizing on the descent, if I did the checklist prior to FL180 I would have caught my mistake. Supplemental information from acn 601812: we received descent to cross marc at FL180. We both set 30.37 but then pulled the altimeter knob back to SID (on the A320). We called to have the trays picked up and the flight attendant came just as we were passing FL180 and at the same time the jumpseater left to use the bathroom. I should have (and normally do) programmed the approach in the box sooner, but was putting it in at the time. It also took a little longer to set it up because it was, an approach that we don't often do, so I'm heads down getting the box squared away. I do notice the captain leveling at 13000 ft and then the jumpseater rang us to reenter the flight deck. I opened the door, sat back down, and just as we were passing vibes ATC said, 'you might want to rechk your altimeter at 30.37. Yikes, we both missed setting our altimeters passing FL180.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW BECOME DISTR PASSING THROUGH FL180 WITH COCKPIT ACTIVITIES FAILING TO RESET TO LCL ALTIMETER AND ALERTED BY ZNY TO ALTDEV.

Narrative: AT XA30 ON THE MILTON 3 ARR INTO LGA. CLRED TO CROSS MARC AT FL180. JUST PRIOR TO DSCNT, WE RECEIVED OUR CREW MEALS. DSNDING, ATC CLRED TO CROSS VIBES AT 13000 FT WITH ALTIMETER OF 30.37. PASSING THROUGH FL180, I WAS DISTR WITH FLT ATTENDANT GETTING TRAYS, JUMPSEATER COMING BACK FROM RESTROOM, TO LOADING APCH INTO FMC, REVIEWING LDA-A INTO LGA, AND MAKING VIBES AT 13000 FT. I DID NOT CHANGE MY ALTIMETER FROM STANDARD 29.92. ZNY STATED TO CHK ALTIMETER SHOWING 13400 FT AND CLRED US TO DSND TO 10000 FT AT BEAUTY. THEREFORE, I MISSED THE XING RESTR AT VIBES. THE HUMAN FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS MISHAP: 1) COM WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT ON TIMING OF MEALS -- FIRST REQUEST SHE WAS TOO BUSY WITH PAX, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ASSERTIVE WITH HER. 2) NOT PRIORITIZING ON THE DSCNT, IF I DID THE CHKLIST PRIOR TO FL180 I WOULD HAVE CAUGHT MY MISTAKE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 601812: WE RECEIVED DSCNT TO CROSS MARC AT FL180. WE BOTH SET 30.37 BUT THEN PULLED THE ALTIMETER KNOB BACK TO SID (ON THE A320). WE CALLED TO HAVE THE TRAYS PICKED UP AND THE FLT ATTENDANT CAME JUST AS WE WERE PASSING FL180 AND AT THE SAME TIME THE JUMPSEATER LEFT TO USE THE BATHROOM. I SHOULD HAVE (AND NORMALLY DO) PROGRAMMED THE APCH IN THE BOX SOONER, BUT WAS PUTTING IT IN AT THE TIME. IT ALSO TOOK A LITTLE LONGER TO SET IT UP BECAUSE IT WAS, AN APCH THAT WE DON'T OFTEN DO, SO I'M HEADS DOWN GETTING THE BOX SQUARED AWAY. I DO NOTICE THE CAPT LEVELING AT 13000 FT AND THEN THE JUMPSEATER RANG US TO REENTER THE FLT DECK. I OPENED THE DOOR, SAT BACK DOWN, AND JUST AS WE WERE PASSING VIBES ATC SAID, 'YOU MIGHT WANT TO RECHK YOUR ALTIMETER AT 30.37. YIKES, WE BOTH MISSED SETTING OUR ALTIMETERS PASSING FL180.

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.