A corporate flight crew was distracted with communications during the-high- workload descent phase, ...

Attributes
ACN	297551
Time
Date	199502
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dqo
State Reference	DE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Falcon 900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 8400 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	297551
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

It will never happen to me, but it did! Descending through FL180, I turned to the PNF, to confirm the altimeter setting. I heard 29.53 and repeated 29.53 back to other pilot who was now talking to center (approach?), and he nodded his head affirmative. Due to cockpit workload at the moment, we did not xchk our altimeters (contrary to company policy and common sense). Was given a crossing restr of steffe intersection at 12000 ft. A restr I made with precision (to the wrong altitude). Passing steffe intersection, center cleared us to a lower altitude, and inquired what our present altitude was. The pilot, PNF, reported 13000 ft and I quickly corrected him and told him we were at 12000 ft. A quick check of altimeters revealed the problem. I had set 29.53 on my side, he had the correct setting of 30.53. I actually was at 13000 ft, when I should have been at 12000 ft. On 2 separate occasions, between 18000 ft and 12000 ft, our checklist requires that the altimeters be checked. Unfortunately, at both times, 1 pilot, or the other was talking on a different radio (ATIS, office, company helicopter) and both pilots failed to xchk our altimeters. Vigilance is mandatory! Our checklist does not allow for deferring an item, and skipped items can be easily forgotten. Luckily there was no reported conflict, but crossing restrs are there for a purpose.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CORPORATE FLC WAS DISTRACTED WITH COMS DURING THE-HIGH- WORKLOAD DSCNT PHASE, AND SET ALTIMETER INCORRECTLY -- FAILING TO MEET A XING RESTR.

Narrative: IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO ME, BUT IT DID! DSNDING THROUGH FL180, I TURNED TO THE PNF, TO CONFIRM THE ALTIMETER SETTING. I HEARD 29.53 AND REPEATED 29.53 BACK TO OTHER PLT WHO WAS NOW TALKING TO CTR (APCH?), AND HE NODDED HIS HEAD AFFIRMATIVE. DUE TO COCKPIT WORKLOAD AT THE MOMENT, WE DID NOT XCHK OUR ALTIMETERS (CONTRARY TO COMPANY POLICY AND COMMON SENSE). WAS GIVEN A XING RESTR OF STEFFE INTXN AT 12000 FT. A RESTR I MADE WITH PRECISION (TO THE WRONG ALT). PASSING STEFFE INTXN, CTR CLRED US TO A LOWER ALT, AND INQUIRED WHAT OUR PRESENT ALT WAS. THE PLT, PNF, RPTED 13000 FT AND I QUICKLY CORRECTED HIM AND TOLD HIM WE WERE AT 12000 FT. A QUICK CHK OF ALTIMETERS REVEALED THE PROB. I HAD SET 29.53 ON MY SIDE, HE HAD THE CORRECT SETTING OF 30.53. I ACTUALLY WAS AT 13000 FT, WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT 12000 FT. ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BTWN 18000 FT AND 12000 FT, OUR CHKLIST REQUIRES THAT THE ALTIMETERS BE CHKED. UNFORTUNATELY, AT BOTH TIMES, 1 PLT, OR THE OTHER WAS TALKING ON A DIFFERENT RADIO (ATIS, OFFICE, COMPANY HELI) AND BOTH PLTS FAILED TO XCHK OUR ALTIMETERS. VIGILANCE IS MANDATORY! OUR CHKLIST DOES NOT ALLOW FOR DEFERRING AN ITEM, AND SKIPPED ITEMS CAN BE EASILY FORGOTTEN. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO RPTED CONFLICT, BUT XING RESTRS ARE THERE FOR A PURPOSE.

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.

A corporate flight crew was distracted with communications during the-high- workload descent phase, and set altimeter incorrectly -- failing to meet a crossing restr.