An air carrier MD11 freighter flight crew climbed above their assigned altitude when they left the altimeter set for qnh when they climbed above the transition altitude.

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Attributes
ACN	390470
Time
Date	199801
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lyd
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8450
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : egtt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise 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 : 138 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 3512
ASRS Report	390470
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	390196
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During SID climb, clearance to FL080 was received and properly read back. Captain was flying and selected 8000 ft on altitude alerter. FMS problem by first officer clearing hard coded 5000 ft restr diverted crew's attention. Qne 101.3 millibars was not set in altimeters for correct leveloff. Autoplt leveled at 8000 ft qnh with 987 millibars set. Result was about 450 ft above FL080 clearance. Converging traffic was observed by crew at 10 O'clock going to 9 O'clock at very close to aircraft altitude. London control called traffic and descend to FL080 immediately. Captain started descent and qne altimeter error was discovered. Estimated miss was greater than 500 ft and other aircraft was well behind reporting aircraft. EFIS aircraft should show flight level altitude in different format than qnh (MSL). International variations in transition level do not allow habit patterns to help altimeter changes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MD11 FREIGHTER FLC CLBED ABOVE THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THEY LEFT THE ALTIMETER SET FOR QNH WHEN THEY CLBED ABOVE THE TRANSITION ALT.

Narrative: DURING SID CLB, CLRNC TO FL080 WAS RECEIVED AND PROPERLY READ BACK. CAPT WAS FLYING AND SELECTED 8000 FT ON ALT ALERTER. FMS PROB BY FO CLRING HARD CODED 5000 FT RESTR DIVERTED CREW'S ATTN. QNE 101.3 MILLIBARS WAS NOT SET IN ALTIMETERS FOR CORRECT LEVELOFF. AUTOPLT LEVELED AT 8000 FT QNH WITH 987 MILLIBARS SET. RESULT WAS ABOUT 450 FT ABOVE FL080 CLRNC. CONVERGING TFC WAS OBSERVED BY CREW AT 10 O'CLOCK GOING TO 9 O'CLOCK AT VERY CLOSE TO ACFT ALT. LONDON CTL CALLED TFC AND DSND TO FL080 IMMEDIATELY. CAPT STARTED DSCNT AND QNE ALTIMETER ERROR WAS DISCOVERED. ESTIMATED MISS WAS GREATER THAN 500 FT AND OTHER ACFT WAS WELL BEHIND RPTING ACFT. EFIS ACFT SHOULD SHOW FLT LEVEL ALT IN DIFFERENT FORMAT THAN QNH (MSL). INTL VARIATIONS IN TRANSITION LEVEL DO NOT ALLOW HABIT PATTERNS TO HELP ALTIMETER CHANGES.

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.