Narrative:

Aircraft was leveled off at a cruising altitude of 23000'. However the altimeters had not been reset from 29.45 to 29.92 causing an error of approximately plus 400'! Error discovered by the copilot who was flying the airplane and the aircraft was started down to the correct altitude. About the same time ATC alerted the crew to the erroneous altitude. The failure to reset the altimeters was direct result of a disagreement which was taking place at the time between the first and second officers and the captain. Climbing through 15000' with a true air temperature plus 5 degree C in precipitation ice began to accumulate on the windshield. Despite initial suggestions, then requests, and finally demands, captain refused to put on the engine anti-ice , in conflict with the aircraft manual, company and FAA procedures, causing much concern to both other crew members. First officer increased rate of climb to get above precipitation level faster. At approximately 22000' aircraft entered the clear. Although the issue of the anti-ice became at this point the captain continued to argue causing further distraction and referring his experience on the medium large transport. I refrained myself from further discussion especially after the experience with the altimeter error. Later, I told the captain that, unless I got a definitive personal committment from him that the aircraft and systems would be operated strictly in accordance with the flight manuals on the next flight segment back to dca, I would not fly with him. The second officer concurred. The captain gave me this committment and from then on we operated without incident. I believe this individual will not deviate in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT ALT DEV OVERSHOT DURING CLIMB BECAUSE FLT CREW FAILED TO SET ALTIMETER PASSING THE TRANSITION ALT.

Narrative: ACFT WAS LEVELED OFF AT A CRUISING ALT OF 23000'. HOWEVER THE ALTIMETERS HAD NOT BEEN RESET FROM 29.45 TO 29.92 CAUSING AN ERROR OF APPROX PLUS 400'! ERROR DISCOVERED BY THE COPLT WHO WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE AND THE ACFT WAS STARTED DOWN TO THE CORRECT ALT. ABOUT THE SAME TIME ATC ALERTED THE CREW TO THE ERRONEOUS ALT. THE FAILURE TO RESET THE ALTIMETERS WAS DIRECT RESULT OF A DISAGREEMENT WHICH WAS TAKING PLACE AT THE TIME BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND OFFICERS AND THE CAPT. CLIMBING THROUGH 15000' WITH A TRUE AIR TEMP PLUS 5 DEG C IN PRECIPITATION ICE BEGAN TO ACCUMULATE ON THE WINDSHIELD. DESPITE INITIAL SUGGESTIONS, THEN REQUESTS, AND FINALLY DEMANDS, CAPT REFUSED TO PUT ON THE ENGINE ANTI-ICE , IN CONFLICT WITH THE ACFT MANUAL, COMPANY AND FAA PROCEDURES, CAUSING MUCH CONCERN TO BOTH OTHER CREW MEMBERS. FIRST OFFICER INCREASED RATE OF CLIMB TO GET ABOVE PRECIPITATION LEVEL FASTER. AT APPROX 22000' ACFT ENTERED THE CLEAR. ALTHOUGH THE ISSUE OF THE ANTI-ICE BECAME AT THIS POINT THE CAPT CONTINUED TO ARGUE CAUSING FURTHER DISTR AND REFERRING HIS EXPERIENCE ON THE MLG. I REFRAINED MYSELF FROM FURTHER DISCUSSION ESPECIALLY AFTER THE EXPERIENCE WITH THE ALTIMETER ERROR. LATER, I TOLD THE CAPT THAT, UNLESS I GOT A DEFINITIVE PERSONAL COMMITTMENT FROM HIM THAT THE ACFT AND SYSTEMS WOULD BE OPERATED STRICTLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FLT MANUALS ON THE NEXT FLT SEGMENT BACK TO DCA, I WOULD NOT FLY WITH HIM. THE SECOND OFFICER CONCURRED. THE CAPT GAVE ME THIS COMMITTMENT AND FROM THEN ON WE OPERATED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THIS INDIVIDUAL WILL NOT DEVIATE IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.