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EMB145 flight crew neglects to set the local altimeter setting descending through FL180; resulting in an altitude deviation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 813008 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200811 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : jfk.airport |
| State Reference | NY |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : jfk.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 813008 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
We descended out of FL180 and experienced moderate turbulence and icing. Our attention was focused on the current situation and failed to set the local altimeter to 29.48. As we leveled off at the requested altitude of 12000 ft; approach asked us our altitude and repeated the local altimeter setting. Many situations took place that led up to this situation. Below; I will list these potential causes: 1) last round trip; 14 1/2 hour duty day with a 2 1/2 hour taxi in jfk and a 1 1/2 hour ground stop back to jfk. 2) 5-DAY trip with extensive WX delays; icing; low visibility and ceilings at most destinations. What needs to be changed? There have got to be regulations set in place to limit the duty day. A 16-hour duty day mixed with a 5-DAY trip and bad WX is a recipe for mistakes. Most pilots will agree that these mistakes will take place on the 5TH day of the trip. That day we were up since XA00 flying all day in and out of bad WX. This creates mental exhaustion creating situations like this to happen. The duty days have got to be reduced in order to help prevent unsafe situations. The normal 9/5 person works only an average of 9 hours a day. We are flying up to 8-9 hours a day; allowing pilots to operate heavy equipment for 16 hours. The duty days have to be restr to 12 or 14 hours and part 121 carriers should be restr to 4-DAY trips maximum.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: EMB145 FLIGHT CREW NEGLECTS TO SET THE LOCAL ALTIMETER SETTING DESCENDING THROUGH FL180; RESULTING IN AN ALTITUDE DEVIATION.
Narrative: WE DSNDED OUT OF FL180 AND EXPERIENCED MODERATE TURB AND ICING. OUR ATTN WAS FOCUSED ON THE CURRENT SITUATION AND FAILED TO SET THE LOCAL ALTIMETER TO 29.48. AS WE LEVELED OFF AT THE REQUESTED ALT OF 12000 FT; APCH ASKED US OUR ALT AND REPEATED THE LOCAL ALTIMETER SETTING. MANY SITUATIONS TOOK PLACE THAT LED UP TO THIS SITUATION. BELOW; I WILL LIST THESE POTENTIAL CAUSES: 1) LAST ROUND TRIP; 14 1/2 HR DUTY DAY WITH A 2 1/2 HR TAXI IN JFK AND A 1 1/2 HR GND STOP BACK TO JFK. 2) 5-DAY TRIP WITH EXTENSIVE WX DELAYS; ICING; LOW VISIBILITY AND CEILINGS AT MOST DESTS. WHAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED? THERE HAVE GOT TO BE REGS SET IN PLACE TO LIMIT THE DUTY DAY. A 16-HR DUTY DAY MIXED WITH A 5-DAY TRIP AND BAD WX IS A RECIPE FOR MISTAKES. MOST PLTS WILL AGREE THAT THESE MISTAKES WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE 5TH DAY OF THE TRIP. THAT DAY WE WERE UP SINCE XA00 FLYING ALL DAY IN AND OUT OF BAD WX. THIS CREATES MENTAL EXHAUSTION CREATING SITUATIONS LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN. THE DUTY DAYS HAVE GOT TO BE REDUCED IN ORDER TO HELP PREVENT UNSAFE SITUATIONS. THE NORMAL 9/5 PERSON WORKS ONLY AN AVERAGE OF 9 HRS A DAY. WE ARE FLYING UP TO 8-9 HRS A DAY; ALLOWING PLTS TO OPERATE HVY EQUIP FOR 16 HRS. THE DUTY DAYS HAVE TO BE RESTR TO 12 OR 14 HRS AND PART 121 CARRIERS SHOULD BE RESTR TO 4-DAY TRIPS MAX.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.