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B737-700 flight crew has altitude deviation during cruise after forgetting to reset altimeter to standard 29.92.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 704436 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200607 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zla.artcc |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 34000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-700 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla.artcc |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 103 flight time type : 6262 |
| ASRS Report | 704436 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time type : 900 |
| ASRS Report | 704437 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other controllerb other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
During climb we were distraction by some cloud build-ups ahead. As we were working to paint them on the radar and deviate; we passed through FL180 and both missed resetting our altimeters. Shortly after we leveled at FL340; I noticed opposite direction traffic on TCAS 700 ft above us. I queried ATC and he confirmed that aircraft was level at FL350. That was when we realized our error. Due to low altimeter settings we were about 250 ft high. We immediately reset the altimeters and descended to the correct altitude and advised ATC. There was no conflict and they told us no problem. Both the first officer and I had gotten up very early for commutes to work and I think that played a part in letting the WX distract us enough to miss the FL180 call. I have decided to avoid early morning commutes and travel the night before if necessary. This was a simple case of crew distraction that was possibly aggravated by a slight lack of alertness.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737-700 FLT CREW HAS ALTDEV DURING CRUISE AFTER FORGETTING TO RESET ALTIMETER TO STANDARD 29.92.
Narrative: DURING CLB WE WERE DISTR BY SOME CLOUD BUILD-UPS AHEAD. AS WE WERE WORKING TO PAINT THEM ON THE RADAR AND DEVIATE; WE PASSED THROUGH FL180 AND BOTH MISSED RESETTING OUR ALTIMETERS. SHORTLY AFTER WE LEVELED AT FL340; I NOTICED OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC ON TCAS 700 FT ABOVE US. I QUERIED ATC AND HE CONFIRMED THAT ACFT WAS LEVEL AT FL350. THAT WAS WHEN WE REALIZED OUR ERROR. DUE TO LOW ALTIMETER SETTINGS WE WERE ABOUT 250 FT HIGH. WE IMMEDIATELY RESET THE ALTIMETERS AND DSNDED TO THE CORRECT ALT AND ADVISED ATC. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND THEY TOLD US NO PROB. BOTH THE FO AND I HAD GOTTEN UP VERY EARLY FOR COMMUTES TO WORK AND I THINK THAT PLAYED A PART IN LETTING THE WX DISTRACT US ENOUGH TO MISS THE FL180 CALL. I HAVE DECIDED TO AVOID EARLY MORNING COMMUTES AND TRAVEL THE NIGHT BEFORE IF NECESSARY. THIS WAS A SIMPLE CASE OF CREW DISTR THAT WAS POSSIBLY AGGRAVATED BY A SLIGHT LACK OF ALERTNESS.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.