A climbing MD88 levels off 500 ft lower than its assigned cruising altitude.

Attributes
ACN	428600
Time
Date	199902
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : iiu.vortac
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27500 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc tower : jxn
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain instruction : instructor observation : company check pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	428600
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : mode c other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft was in level cruise indicating FL280. ZID called to ask if we were leveling early or below FL280, that they showed us low at FL275. They stated there wasn't a problem, but wanted to know if we were going on to FL280. Crew determined problem was not setting altimeter to 29.92 but still 30.48 from climb. This resulted in leveling at FL275 not FL280. Altimeters were set to 29.92 and climb to FL280 was accomplished. This was an IOE flight for first officer and as such, extensive discussions of operations practices are going on throughout flight. The factor cause of this situation was the late accomplishment of the climb checklist due to crew reviewing previous takeoff and departure profile. As captain and PNF, my responsibility was to insure checklists are completed and in this case failed to do so while discussing briefing items prescribed for flight being conducted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CLBING MD88 LEVELS OFF 500 FT LOWER THAN ITS ASSIGNED CRUISING ALT.

Narrative: ACFT WAS IN LEVEL CRUISE INDICATING FL280. ZID CALLED TO ASK IF WE WERE LEVELING EARLY OR BELOW FL280, THAT THEY SHOWED US LOW AT FL275. THEY STATED THERE WASN'T A PROB, BUT WANTED TO KNOW IF WE WERE GOING ON TO FL280. CREW DETERMINED PROB WAS NOT SETTING ALTIMETER TO 29.92 BUT STILL 30.48 FROM CLB. THIS RESULTED IN LEVELING AT FL275 NOT FL280. ALTIMETERS WERE SET TO 29.92 AND CLB TO FL280 WAS ACCOMPLISHED. THIS WAS AN IOE FLT FOR FO AND AS SUCH, EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS OF OPS PRACTICES ARE GOING ON THROUGHOUT FLT. THE FACTOR CAUSE OF THIS SIT WAS THE LATE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE CLB CHKLIST DUE TO CREW REVIEWING PREVIOUS TKOF AND DEP PROFILE. AS CAPT AND PNF, MY RESPONSIBILITY WAS TO INSURE CHKLISTS ARE COMPLETED AND IN THIS CASE FAILED TO DO SO WHILE DISCUSSING BRIEFING ITEMS PRESCRIBED FOR FLT BEING CONDUCTED.

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.