Commuter flight crew failed to reset altimeter passing 18000 ft.

Attributes
ACN	261680
Time
Date	199401
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zau
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25500 msl bound upper : 26500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau tower : gon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	261680
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Climbing our of 16000 ft flight attendant entered cockpit to ask crew if we needed anything and to advise us of some special passenger handling problems when we arrived at our destination. The conversation took longer than usual as she was also concerned about the WX at our destination. It was a cold day and the aircraft was climbing at a very good rate of climb. Passing FL260.5 ZAU requested we level off at FL260. I then advised center that we would level at FL260. Our previous assigned altitude had been FL280. After leveling at FL260 I advised center that we were level at FL260. After about 2 mins controller told us he showed our altitude to be 500 ft low. We then checked our altimeters and found they had not been reset to 29.92 passing FL180. The current area altimeter was 30.48. Reset altimeters to 29.92 and climbed back to FL260 without further incident. No mention was made by controller of any conflict with any other aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER FLC FAILED TO RESET ALTIMETER PASSING 18000 FT.

Narrative: CLBING OUR OF 16000 FT FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED COCKPIT TO ASK CREW IF WE NEEDED ANYTHING AND TO ADVISE US OF SOME SPECIAL PAX HANDLING PROBS WHEN WE ARRIVED AT OUR DEST. THE CONVERSATION TOOK LONGER THAN USUAL AS SHE WAS ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE WX AT OUR DEST. IT WAS A COLD DAY AND THE ACFT WAS CLBING AT A VERY GOOD RATE OF CLB. PASSING FL260.5 ZAU REQUESTED WE LEVEL OFF AT FL260. I THEN ADVISED CTR THAT WE WOULD LEVEL AT FL260. OUR PREVIOUS ASSIGNED ALT HAD BEEN FL280. AFTER LEVELING AT FL260 I ADVISED CTR THAT WE WERE LEVEL AT FL260. AFTER ABOUT 2 MINS CTLR TOLD US HE SHOWED OUR ALT TO BE 500 FT LOW. WE THEN CHKED OUR ALTIMETERS AND FOUND THEY HAD NOT BEEN RESET TO 29.92 PASSING FL180. THE CURRENT AREA ALTIMETER WAS 30.48. RESET ALTIMETERS TO 29.92 AND CLBED BACK TO FL260 WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. NO MENTION WAS MADE BY CTLR OF ANY CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER ACFT.

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.