Narrative:

Having accepted a climb to 20000 ft, out of 14000 ft, the first officer left the frequency to give out/off times to station and to give the required seat belt sign briefing. During his 'absence' center amended our climb clearance to 19000 ft. ATC's call came as I was pushing the barometer knob to standard pressure. Local altimeter was approximately 29.26. I did not verify the standard pressure due to ATC call with amended altitude and the issuance of a frequency change. When I checked on with the next center and checked the altimeter for verification on my call-in I noted the altimeter setting flashing, indicating passage through 18000 ft. I pushed the barometer knob and read 19400 ft. By the time I halted my climb and started descent to 19000 ft, I read 19500 ft altitude. Traffic was 7-10 mi distant. The first officer and I had verified his absence from 'flying.' he played no part in this deviation. Too many numbers, frequency change, altitude change, etc. I really can't forgive this deviation. Those multiple information's from center are really quite common. It just happened.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT IN CLB WHEN FLT CREW FAILS TO RESET ALTIMETER PASSING FL180.

Narrative: HAVING ACCEPTED A CLB TO 20000 FT, OUT OF 14000 FT, THE FO LEFT THE FREQ TO GIVE OUT/OFF TIMES TO STATION AND TO GIVE THE REQUIRED SEAT BELT SIGN BRIEFING. DURING HIS 'ABSENCE' CTR AMENDED OUR CLB CLRNC TO 19000 FT. ATC'S CALL CAME AS I WAS PUSHING THE BAROMETER KNOB TO STANDARD PRESSURE. LCL ALTIMETER WAS APPROX 29.26. I DID NOT VERIFY THE STANDARD PRESSURE DUE TO ATC CALL WITH AMENDED ALT AND THE ISSUANCE OF A FREQ CHANGE. WHEN I CHKED ON WITH THE NEXT CTR AND CHKED THE ALTIMETER FOR VERIFICATION ON MY CALL-IN I NOTED THE ALTIMETER SETTING FLASHING, INDICATING PASSAGE THROUGH 18000 FT. I PUSHED THE BAROMETER KNOB AND READ 19400 FT. BY THE TIME I HALTED MY CLB AND STARTED DSCNT TO 19000 FT, I READ 19500 FT ALT. TFC WAS 7-10 MI DISTANT. THE FO AND I HAD VERIFIED HIS ABSENCE FROM 'FLYING.' HE PLAYED NO PART IN THIS DEV. TOO MANY NUMBERS, FREQ CHANGE, ALT CHANGE, ETC. I REALLY CAN'T FORGIVE THIS DEV. THOSE MULTIPLE INFO'S FROM CTR ARE REALLY QUITE COMMON. IT JUST HAPPENED.

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.