B737 crew climbing out of phl failed to change altimeter passing FL180.

Attributes
ACN	495670
Time
Date	200012
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sby.vor
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl single value : 24400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc tower : stl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	495670
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne critical non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Miss Distance	horizontal : 60000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Altimeter at phl was 29.43. We failed to reset altimeter passing FL180. We were cleared to FL240. Center called out traffic and told us we were 400 ft high and to descend to FL240. When we passed the traffic, he was at FL250 and we were at FL240 at approximately 4 mi. Factors contributing: severe WX. When we passed FL180, we were maneuvering around severe WX and trying to get a higher altitude from ATC. We were experiencing quite a bit of turbulence. I was putting so much attention on getting higher and out of the turbulence, I failed to reset my altimeter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW CLBING OUT OF PHL FAILED TO CHANGE ALTIMETER PASSING FL180.

Narrative: ALTIMETER AT PHL WAS 29.43. WE FAILED TO RESET ALTIMETER PASSING FL180. WE WERE CLRED TO FL240. CTR CALLED OUT TFC AND TOLD US WE WERE 400 FT HIGH AND TO DSND TO FL240. WHEN WE PASSED THE TFC, HE WAS AT FL250 AND WE WERE AT FL240 AT APPROX 4 MI. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING: SEVERE WX. WHEN WE PASSED FL180, WE WERE MANEUVERING AROUND SEVERE WX AND TRYING TO GET A HIGHER ALT FROM ATC. WE WERE EXPERIENCING QUITE A BIT OF TURB. I WAS PUTTING SO MUCH ATTN ON GETTING HIGHER AND OUT OF THE TURB, I FAILED TO RESET MY ALTIMETER.

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.