Widebody transport flight crew sets altimeter 29 pt 92 prior to departing the transition altitude.

Attributes
ACN	240841
Time
Date	199305
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lhr
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lhr
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	240841
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	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

Narrative:

We were given a SID on departure from heathrow airport. Altitude on SID was 6000 ft for level off (fl's begin at 6000 ft). Climbing through 5000-5500 ft we discussed FL600 and reset our altimeters to 29.92 as we began leveling off. We flew for several mins before being instructed to climb to 10000 ft. The controller said nothing to us and we proceeded on our departure. We later discovered that we should not have changed our altimeters until after leaving 6000 ft. According to the definition in our pubs, fl's begin after flying through the initial altitude, but not if you level off at the initial altitude. Due to the local altimeter setting that day, we were flying 500 ft lower (5500 ft) versus 6000 ft after we reset to 29.92. This was the first time I ever had to level off at the transition level. Our departures have always been cleared to climb to a higher altitude before reaching the transition altitude. Next time I will not forget! A footnote on the SID put near the altitude block would help remind pilots. Example: 6000 ft level off is local altimeter, not transition level of 29.92.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB FLC SETS ALTIMETER 29 PT 92 PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE TRANSITION ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A SID ON DEP FROM HEATHROW ARPT. ALT ON SID WAS 6000 FT FOR LEVEL OFF (FL'S BEGIN AT 6000 FT). CLBING THROUGH 5000-5500 FT WE DISCUSSED FL600 AND RESET OUR ALTIMETERS TO 29.92 AS WE BEGAN LEVELING OFF. WE FLEW FOR SEVERAL MINS BEFORE BEING INSTRUCTED TO CLB TO 10000 FT. THE CTLR SAID NOTHING TO US AND WE PROCEEDED ON OUR DEP. WE LATER DISCOVERED THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE CHANGED OUR ALTIMETERS UNTIL AFTER LEAVING 6000 FT. ACCORDING TO THE DEFINITION IN OUR PUBS, FL'S BEGIN AFTER FLYING THROUGH THE INITIAL ALT, BUT NOT IF YOU LEVEL OFF AT THE INITIAL ALT. DUE TO THE LCL ALTIMETER SETTING THAT DAY, WE WERE FLYING 500 FT LOWER (5500 FT) VERSUS 6000 FT AFTER WE RESET TO 29.92. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I EVER HAD TO LEVEL OFF AT THE TRANSITION LEVEL. OUR DEPS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CLRED TO CLB TO A HIGHER ALT BEFORE REACHING THE TRANSITION ALT. NEXT TIME I WILL NOT FORGET! A FOOTNOTE ON THE SID PUT NEAR THE ALT BLOCK WOULD HELP REMIND PLTS. EXAMPLE: 6000 FT LEVEL OFF IS LCL ALTIMETER, NOT TRANSITION LEVEL OF 29.92.

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.