Air carrier flight crew forgets to set altimeters passing 18,000' in descent.

Attributes
ACN	129418
Time
Date	198911
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15600 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz tower : srq
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	129418
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ATC had cleared us down to 16,000. It was late at night (after midnight), going through a light cloud layer with some ice in it, busy with some problem the girls had in back, trying to make regular company calls, and were busy doing the regular descent checklist. We leveled at 16,000 (actually the autoplt did). A few mins later center asked our altitude. All 3 altimeters showed 16,000. ATC gave us the current altimeter setting. We looked to check it and discovered we had forgotten to reset passing 18,000. Lucky there was no traffic conflict, but what if there had been VFR traffic at 15,500? (We were about 400' low.) another case of tired overworked pilots.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW FORGETS TO SET ALTIMETERS PASSING 18,000' IN DESCENT.

Narrative: ATC HAD CLRED US DOWN TO 16,000. IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT (AFTER MIDNIGHT), GOING THROUGH A LIGHT CLOUD LAYER WITH SOME ICE IN IT, BUSY WITH SOME PROBLEM THE GIRLS HAD IN BACK, TRYING TO MAKE REGULAR COMPANY CALLS, AND WERE BUSY DOING THE REGULAR DSCNT CHECKLIST. WE LEVELED AT 16,000 (ACTUALLY THE AUTOPLT DID). A FEW MINS LATER CENTER ASKED OUR ALT. ALL 3 ALTIMETERS SHOWED 16,000. ATC GAVE US THE CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING. WE LOOKED TO CHECK IT AND DISCOVERED WE HAD FORGOTTEN TO RESET PASSING 18,000. LUCKY THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT, BUT WHAT IF THERE HAD BEEN VFR TFC AT 15,500? (WE WERE ABOUT 400' LOW.) ANOTHER CASE OF TIRED OVERWORKED PLTS.

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.