An airline MD80 crew left some of their altimeters set to the local setting and leveled off below their assigned cruise altitude.

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Attributes
ACN	429673
Time
Date	199902
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : psb.vortac
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34600 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
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
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	429673
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	429475
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At FL350, ATC called us to see what altitude we were at. They said that they showed us 400 ft low. Upon reviewing our altimeters we noticed that the captain's altimeter and the standby altimeter were set to the local altimeter setting (30.38) and not 29.92. We made the proper adjustment and climbed to FL350.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRLINE MD80 CREW LEFT SOME OF THEIR ALTIMETERS SET TO THE LCL SETTING AND LEVELED OFF BELOW THEIR ASSIGNED CRUISE ALT.

Narrative: AT FL350, ATC CALLED US TO SEE WHAT ALT WE WERE AT. THEY SAID THAT THEY SHOWED US 400 FT LOW. UPON REVIEWING OUR ALTIMETERS WE NOTICED THAT THE CAPT'S ALTIMETER AND THE STANDBY ALTIMETER WERE SET TO THE LCL ALTIMETER SETTING (30.38) AND NOT 29.92. WE MADE THE PROPER ADJUSTMENT AND CLBED TO FL350.

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.