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B727 flight crew reports inadvertently setting the wrong altimeter. The mistake was discovered on the party line, but late because the crew was already descending through the assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 341883 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199607 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : dpk airport : jfk |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : n90 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : second officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 341883 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5430 flight time type : 1250 |
| ASRS Report | 342096 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
During initial descent, I attempted to receive the jfk ATIS, but it was in the process of being changed. I then went to company frequency for gate information. By then ATIS was up, and I copied it onto the landing data card. As I was handing the card up front, the captain and first officer were setting their altimeters to 29.50 inches (they were both at 30.50 inches) and I noticed the captain leveling off at 10500 ft and then climbing back to 11000 ft. Evidently both altimeters were incorrectly set to 30.50 and it was caught just as we were passing through 11000 ft MSL. Supplemental information from acn 342096: passing FL180, reset altimeters to 30.51. Passing 12000 ft, overheard approach give another aircraft altimeter setting of 29.51.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B727 FLC RPTS INADVERTENTLY SETTING THE WRONG ALTIMETER. THE MISTAKE WAS DISCOVERED ON THE PARTY LINE, BUT LATE BECAUSE THE CREW WAS ALREADY DSNDING THROUGH THE ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: DURING INITIAL DSCNT, I ATTEMPTED TO RECEIVE THE JFK ATIS, BUT IT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING CHANGED. I THEN WENT TO COMPANY FREQ FOR GATE INFO. BY THEN ATIS WAS UP, AND I COPIED IT ONTO THE LNDG DATA CARD. AS I WAS HANDING THE CARD UP FRONT, THE CAPT AND FO WERE SETTING THEIR ALTIMETERS TO 29.50 INCHES (THEY WERE BOTH AT 30.50 INCHES) AND I NOTICED THE CAPT LEVELING OFF AT 10500 FT AND THEN CLBING BACK TO 11000 FT. EVIDENTLY BOTH ALTIMETERS WERE INCORRECTLY SET TO 30.50 AND IT WAS CAUGHT JUST AS WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 11000 FT MSL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 342096: PASSING FL180, RESET ALTIMETERS TO 30.51. PASSING 12000 FT, OVERHEARD APCH GIVE ANOTHER ACFT ALTIMETER SETTING OF 29.51.
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.