Crossing restriction not met as flight crew on large transport misreads altimeter.

Attributes
ACN	141089
Time
Date	199003
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fgt
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msp tower : jax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	141089
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 210
ASRS Report	140850
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

As captain of this flight I was also the PF. Flight was inbound to msp on mienz arrival and a crossing restricion was given as 'at or below 10 to maintain 9000'. We were descending from our en route altitude of FL310. At what I thought was 9.5 just approaching the restriction point the controller advised us to expedite descent and do the best we could on the crossing. It was at this time that we realized the altimeter misread and we were actually at 19.5, 10000 high. This aircraft has the old style altimeter, not the new digital read style. (Our fleet has both). Also, I am not new to this aircraft, having flown all three seats in my career. I have read of this problem and am certainly aware of it but it still happened. This was a plain misread on my part and not caught by the other crew members. Later discussing by telephone with approach control revealed no conflict but only because of minimum traffic at this late hour of day. Supplemental information from acn 140850. While approaching msp at approximately 20000' I tuned in the ATIS frequency to get the new information. Afterwards I turned towards the crew and gave them the information. The altitude was 19300' and they leveled at 19000'. I thought they were cleared with pilot's discretion to 9000' which was in the altitude window (last altitude given). The first officer reported level at 9000' to approach control and I said no, we're at 19000'. The captain then began an immediate descent upon realizing his error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CROSSING RESTRICTION NOT MET AS FLT CREW ON LGT MISREADS ALTIMETER.

Narrative: AS CAPT OF THIS FLT I WAS ALSO THE PF. FLT WAS INBND TO MSP ON MIENZ ARR AND A XING RESTRICION WAS GIVEN AS 'AT OR BELOW 10 TO MAINTAIN 9000'. WE WERE DSNDING FROM OUR ENRTE ALT OF FL310. AT WHAT I THOUGHT WAS 9.5 JUST APCHING THE RESTRICTION POINT THE CTLR ADVISED US TO EXPEDITE DSCNT AND DO THE BEST WE COULD ON THE XING. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT WE REALIZED THE ALTIMETER MISREAD AND WE WERE ACTUALLY AT 19.5, 10000 HIGH. THIS ACFT HAS THE OLD STYLE ALTIMETER, NOT THE NEW DIGITAL READ STYLE. (OUR FLEET HAS BOTH). ALSO, I AM NOT NEW TO THIS ACFT, HAVING FLOWN ALL THREE SEATS IN MY CAREER. I HAVE READ OF THIS PROB AND AM CERTAINLY AWARE OF IT BUT IT STILL HAPPENED. THIS WAS A PLAIN MISREAD ON MY PART AND NOT CAUGHT BY THE OTHER CREW MEMBERS. LATER DISCUSSING BY TELEPHONE WITH APCH CTL REVEALED NO CONFLICT BUT ONLY BECAUSE OF MINIMUM TFC AT THIS LATE HR OF DAY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 140850. WHILE APCHING MSP AT APPROX 20000' I TUNED IN THE ATIS FREQ TO GET THE NEW INFO. AFTERWARDS I TURNED TOWARDS THE CREW AND GAVE THEM THE INFO. THE ALT WAS 19300' AND THEY LEVELED AT 19000'. I THOUGHT THEY WERE CLRED WITH PLT'S DISCRETION TO 9000' WHICH WAS IN THE ALT WINDOW (LAST ALT GIVEN). THE F/O RPTED LEVEL AT 9000' TO APCH CTL AND I SAID NO, WE'RE AT 19000'. THE CAPT THEN BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT UPON REALIZING HIS ERROR.

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