<< >> NASA ASRS Report 429640, February 1999

An airline DC9 freighter crew overshot their assigned altitude due to their failure to change the altimeters to the 29 pt 92 setting passing FL180.

Attributes
ACN	429640
Time
Date	199902
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : anc.vor
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33680
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan.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
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	42964
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert 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:

While climbing out of anc to FL330. Crew had to try to contact our dispatcher to relay times after climbing out of 10000 ft due to restr coverage of our company flight following. First officer was flying and also has the only microphone to call company with. I tried using his microphone to call company. This distraction him and he missed the call to reset altimeters to 29.92. The local setting was 29.24, making altimeter error of 680 ft. At FL330, ATC advised us to check our altimeter. This is when we first noticed the error. Calling back times is a nonstandard part of our operation. It only takes place in anc and yeg. Better coverage of our flight following system would improve or help this problem and also waiting until out of FL180.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRLINE DC9 FREIGHTER CREW OVERSHOT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT DUE TO THEIR FAILURE TO CHANGE THE ALTIMETERS TO THE 29 PT 92 SETTING PASSING FL180.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING OUT OF ANC TO FL330. CREW HAD TO TRY TO CONTACT OUR DISPATCHER TO RELAY TIMES AFTER CLBING OUT OF 10000 FT DUE TO RESTR COVERAGE OF OUR COMPANY FLT FOLLOWING. FO WAS FLYING AND ALSO HAS THE ONLY MIKE TO CALL COMPANY WITH. I TRIED USING HIS MIKE TO CALL COMPANY. THIS DISTR HIM AND HE MISSED THE CALL TO RESET ALTIMETERS TO 29.92. THE LCL SETTING WAS 29.24, MAKING ALTIMETER ERROR OF 680 FT. AT FL330, ATC ADVISED US TO CHK OUR ALTIMETER. THIS IS WHEN WE FIRST NOTICED THE ERROR. CALLING BACK TIMES IS A NONSTANDARD PART OF OUR OP. IT ONLY TAKES PLACE IN ANC AND YEG. BETTER COVERAGE OF OUR FLT FOLLOWING SYS WOULD IMPROVE OR HELP THIS PROB AND ALSO WAITING UNTIL OUT OF FL180.

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.