Narrative:

We were climbing to our assigned cruise altitude of 34000 ft. We got a call at approximately 33000 ft. I looked at the message; the autoplt was engaged and started to level the plane off. The first officer was flying and the autoplt was on his side. I looked at the message when I looked at the altimeter; it read 34400 ft. I then asked the first officer what his read and he said 34000 ft. At this time zan asked us our altitude. He showed us 400 ft high. We then realized his altimeter was still set to the departure airport. We descended to 34000 ft. When near an assigned altitude watch the leveloff. Don't both look at CDU. Also I was wearing a standard boom microphone. First officer had on a noise canceling; and sometimes we miscommunicated. Such as climb check; 'altimeters 2992' which was not checked. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that the flight did receive an ACARS message just prior to leveloff. The PNF's attention was diverted; confident that the PF would level the aircraft; since the autopilot was engaged. Although the climb check through transition altitude was thought to have been completed; the PF was using an unapproved noise-canceling headset; and may not have heard the callout. The reporter is concerned that the use of such headsets is creating confusion and inhibits effective communication.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-400 FLT CREW CLIMBED THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT. PF FAILED TO SET 29.92 DURING CLIMBOUT.

Narrative: WE WERE CLBING TO OUR ASSIGNED CRUISE ALT OF 34000 FT. WE GOT A CALL AT APPROX 33000 FT. I LOOKED AT THE MESSAGE; THE AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED AND STARTED TO LEVEL THE PLANE OFF. THE FO WAS FLYING AND THE AUTOPLT WAS ON HIS SIDE. I LOOKED AT THE MESSAGE WHEN I LOOKED AT THE ALTIMETER; IT READ 34400 FT. I THEN ASKED THE FO WHAT HIS READ AND HE SAID 34000 FT. AT THIS TIME ZAN ASKED US OUR ALT. HE SHOWED US 400 FT HIGH. WE THEN REALIZED HIS ALTIMETER WAS STILL SET TO THE DEP ARPT. WE DSNDED TO 34000 FT. WHEN NEAR AN ASSIGNED ALT WATCH THE LEVELOFF. DON'T BOTH LOOK AT CDU. ALSO I WAS WEARING A STANDARD BOOM MIKE. FO HAD ON A NOISE CANCELING; AND SOMETIMES WE MISCOMMUNICATED. SUCH AS CLB CHK; 'ALTIMETERS 2992' WHICH WAS NOT CHKED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER STATED THAT THE FLT DID RECEIVE AN ACARS MSG JUST PRIOR TO LEVELOFF. THE PNF'S ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED; CONFIDENT THAT THE PF WOULD LEVEL THE ACFT; SINCE THE AUTOPILOT WAS ENGAGED. ALTHOUGH THE CLIMB CHECK THROUGH TRANSITION ALT WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN COMPLETED; THE PF WAS USING AN UNAPPROVED NOISE-CANCELING HEADSET; AND MAY NOT HAVE HEARD THE CALLOUT. THE REPORTER IS CONCERNED THAT THE USE OF SUCH HEADSETS IS CREATING CONFUSION AND INHIBITS EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION.

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.