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A cargo flight crew fail to set the correct altimeter setting resulting in the aircraft being at the wrong altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 603991 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200401 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zan.artcc navaid : mdo.vor |
| State Reference | AK |
| Altitude | msl single value : 32600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zan.artcc tower : mgm.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 603991 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other controllerb |
| Resolutory Action | 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:
After a few mins of leveling at assigned altitude of FL330, center advised 'the last couple of radar sweeps showed FL326.' we immediately confirmed our altitude (indicated FL330) and then discovered we had qnh altimeter settings on both sides. Anchorage (departure airport) had an altimeter of 30.5 inches. We corrected the error and climbed up to FL330. This was my leg. Causal factors: aircraft level zero 'lower cargo temperature low' alert displayed concurrent with controller's instructions to climb and proceed direct to mdo. Aircraft pneumatic system is always in manual which caused extra discussion with inexperienced copilot. Had just spent 2 weeks flying in pacific where qne is usually set well below the entry in USA class a. This is why I think I failed to notice we missed the altimeter when we turned (first officer actually) off outside lights and seatbelt sign at FL180. This is my second trip back in the united states after flying overseas for 2 yrs on aircraft Y. I was an first officer on the aircraft Z from 1995 until upgrading to aircraft Y captain. Other information: I knew about the huge altimeter differences in anchorage and how specifically briefed the copilot to get ACARS confirmation of the altimeter settings to avoid misunderstandings which could lead to altdevs on our arrival the day before. I had also flown for 5 yrs as a domiciled (anc) pilot. I was feeling a little tired, even though I had adequate rest. The day before we had flown in from sheazez, china. I knew better than to get distraction with the altitude, routing, and abnormal. But apparently, I did anyway.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A CARGO FLT CREW FAIL TO SET THE CORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING RESULTING IN THE ACFT BEING AT THE WRONG ALT.
Narrative: AFTER A FEW MINS OF LEVELING AT ASSIGNED ALT OF FL330, CTR ADVISED 'THE LAST COUPLE OF RADAR SWEEPS SHOWED FL326.' WE IMMEDIATELY CONFIRMED OUR ALT (INDICATED FL330) AND THEN DISCOVERED WE HAD QNH ALTIMETER SETTINGS ON BOTH SIDES. ANCHORAGE (DEP ARPT) HAD AN ALTIMETER OF 30.5 INCHES. WE CORRECTED THE ERROR AND CLBED UP TO FL330. THIS WAS MY LEG. CAUSAL FACTORS: ACFT LEVEL ZERO 'LOWER CARGO TEMP LOW' ALERT DISPLAYED CONCURRENT WITH CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS TO CLB AND PROCEED DIRECT TO MDO. ACFT PNEUMATIC SYS IS ALWAYS IN MANUAL WHICH CAUSED EXTRA DISCUSSION WITH INEXPERIENCED COPLT. HAD JUST SPENT 2 WKS FLYING IN PACIFIC WHERE QNE IS USUALLY SET WELL BELOW THE ENTRY IN USA CLASS A. THIS IS WHY I THINK I FAILED TO NOTICE WE MISSED THE ALTIMETER WHEN WE TURNED (FO ACTUALLY) OFF OUTSIDE LIGHTS AND SEATBELT SIGN AT FL180. THIS IS MY SECOND TRIP BACK IN THE UNITED STATES AFTER FLYING OVERSEAS FOR 2 YRS ON ACFT Y. I WAS AN FO ON THE ACFT Z FROM 1995 UNTIL UPGRADING TO ACFT Y CAPT. OTHER INFO: I KNEW ABOUT THE HUGE ALTIMETER DIFFERENCES IN ANCHORAGE AND HOW SPECIFICALLY BRIEFED THE COPLT TO GET ACARS CONFIRMATION OF THE ALTIMETER SETTINGS TO AVOID MISUNDERSTANDINGS WHICH COULD LEAD TO ALTDEVS ON OUR ARR THE DAY BEFORE. I HAD ALSO FLOWN FOR 5 YRS AS A DOMICILED (ANC) PLT. I WAS FEELING A LITTLE TIRED, EVEN THOUGH I HAD ADEQUATE REST. THE DAY BEFORE WE HAD FLOWN IN FROM SHEAZEZ, CHINA. I KNEW BETTER THAN TO GET DISTR WITH THE ALT, ROUTING, AND ABNORMAL. BUT APPARENTLY, I DID ANYWAY.
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.