An MD80 crew, on descent into bos, overshot their assigned altitude due to a wrong altimeter setting...

Attributes
ACN	539388
Time
Date	200202
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : pvd.vortac
State Reference	RI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Snow Turbulence Ice
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : scupp
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 : 25000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	539388
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was captain, PNF, from rsw to bos. Approximately 40 NM west of pvd VOR at FL240, we were reclred from scupp arrival to orw arrival to bos. We were then given clearance to cross pvd at 11000 ft. The first officer began descent with spoilers deployed, and I turned on engine and airframe anti-deicing. Along with annunciator panel messages, we got a 'left thrust reverser accumulator low pressure' master caution light and message on the overhead annunciator panel. I told the first officer to continue to fly the plane and I would refer to the airplane operating manual, and I would perform the abnormal checklist. Just as I completed the checklist (which had me find, pull, reset circuit breakers), ATC advised us that radar showed us to be at 10500 ft. We had failed to perform and complete our descent checklist -- usually done at FL180 to reset altimeters. Contributing factors to the altitude bust were the last min rerte, a last min high rate descent (control forgot us?), icing conditions, turbulence, and the thrust reverser abnormal procedure. The first officer in this case was an excellent pilot, and this allowed me to concentrate too much on the abnormal procedure, when I should have been watching him and the airplane more carefully.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CREW, ON DSCNT INTO BOS, OVERSHOT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT DUE TO A WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING.

Narrative: I WAS CAPT, PNF, FROM RSW TO BOS. APPROX 40 NM W OF PVD VOR AT FL240, WE WERE RECLRED FROM SCUPP ARR TO ORW ARR TO BOS. WE WERE THEN GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS PVD AT 11000 FT. THE FO BEGAN DSCNT WITH SPOILERS DEPLOYED, AND I TURNED ON ENG AND AIRFRAME ANTI-DEICING. ALONG WITH ANNUNCIATOR PANEL MESSAGES, WE GOT A 'L THRUST REVERSER ACCUMULATOR LOW PRESSURE' MASTER CAUTION LIGHT AND MESSAGE ON THE OVERHEAD ANNUNCIATOR PANEL. I TOLD THE FO TO CONTINUE TO FLY THE PLANE AND I WOULD REFER TO THE AIRPLANE OPERATING MANUAL, AND I WOULD PERFORM THE ABNORMAL CHKLIST. JUST AS I COMPLETED THE CHKLIST (WHICH HAD ME FIND, PULL, RESET CIRCUIT BREAKERS), ATC ADVISED US THAT RADAR SHOWED US TO BE AT 10500 FT. WE HAD FAILED TO PERFORM AND COMPLETE OUR DSCNT CHKLIST -- USUALLY DONE AT FL180 TO RESET ALTIMETERS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ALT BUST WERE THE LAST MIN RERTE, A LAST MIN HIGH RATE DSCNT (CTL FORGOT US?), ICING CONDITIONS, TURB, AND THE THRUST REVERSER ABNORMAL PROC. THE FO IN THIS CASE WAS AN EXCELLENT PLT, AND THIS ALLOWED ME TO CONCENTRATE TOO MUCH ON THE ABNORMAL PROC, WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN WATCHING HIM AND THE AIRPLANE MORE CAREFULLY.

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.