DC9 crew forgets to set altimeters to standard during climb in ZTL airspace.

Attributes
ACN	428770
Time
Date	199902
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : odf.vortac
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27600 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	428770
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	428823
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight gso to atl. We departed gso for atl. Climbing up under northeast arrival corridor, I was flying aircraft. We step-climbed through several sectors to FL280. Unfortunately, we missed altimeters at FL180. We leveled at what we thought was FL280 on altimeter 30.46. We cruised through several sectors with this error. Finally, about 60 mi east of foothills, ZTL queried us, saying he showed us 400 ft low. We immediately corrected our error. At no time were we advised of any traffic conflict and TCASII never alerted us of any traffic. ATC didn't seem concerned. No further incident. Our error, no excuse. Used to be item in climb check, but removed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CREW FORGETS TO SET ALTIMETERS TO STANDARD DURING CLB IN ZTL AIRSPACE.

Narrative: FLT GSO TO ATL. WE DEPARTED GSO FOR ATL. CLBING UP UNDER NE ARR CORRIDOR, I WAS FLYING ACFT. WE STEP-CLBED THROUGH SEVERAL SECTORS TO FL280. UNFORTUNATELY, WE MISSED ALTIMETERS AT FL180. WE LEVELED AT WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS FL280 ON ALTIMETER 30.46. WE CRUISED THROUGH SEVERAL SECTORS WITH THIS ERROR. FINALLY, ABOUT 60 MI E OF FOOTHILLS, ZTL QUERIED US, SAYING HE SHOWED US 400 FT LOW. WE IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED OUR ERROR. AT NO TIME WERE WE ADVISED OF ANY TFC CONFLICT AND TCASII NEVER ALERTED US OF ANY TFC. ATC DIDN'T SEEM CONCERNED. NO FURTHER INCIDENT. OUR ERROR, NO EXCUSE. USED TO BE ITEM IN CLB CHK, BUT REMOVED.

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.