B737-400 flight crew altitude deviation altitude undershot in climb. Wrong altitude setting, qnh ver...

Attributes
ACN	358580
Time
Date	199701
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sav
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34510 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 190
ASRS Report	358580
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	358859
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure 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:

Upon leveling off at 35000 ft, the copilot and I discovered after query from ATC that we had forgotten to reset our altimeters to 29.92 upon ascent through FL180. We were about 400 ft lower than the 35000 ft. We reviewed back on what happened, and couldn't believe how we both missed this callout. But, as it happened, the copilot was making an announcement to the passenger, and I was taking an altitude and frequency change from ATC. From now on, we'll make our passenger announcements sooner, or later, not approaching 18000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-400 FLC ALTDEV ALT UNDERSHOT IN CLB. WRONG ALT SETTING, QNH VERSUS QNE.

Narrative: UPON LEVELING OFF AT 35000 FT, THE COPLT AND I DISCOVERED AFTER QUERY FROM ATC THAT WE HAD FORGOTTEN TO RESET OUR ALTIMETERS TO 29.92 UPON ASCENT THROUGH FL180. WE WERE ABOUT 400 FT LOWER THAN THE 35000 FT. WE REVIEWED BACK ON WHAT HAPPENED, AND COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW WE BOTH MISSED THIS CALLOUT. BUT, AS IT HAPPENED, THE COPLT WAS MAKING AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX, AND I WAS TAKING AN ALT AND FREQ CHANGE FROM ATC. FROM NOW ON, WE'LL MAKE OUR PAX ANNOUNCEMENTS SOONER, OR LATER, NOT APCHING 18000 FT.

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.

B737-400 flight crew altitude deviation altitude undershot in climb. Wrong altitude setting, qnh versus qne.