Narrative:

On climb out from indianapolis, I turned on the autoplt at about 13000 ft and began to prepare and eat my crew meal. It was around XI00 and we had had no chance to eat a meal since XA00 earlier that day. While doing so, we passed through the transition altitude without noticing. The first officer was also preparing to eat and missed transition. We leveled at FL290, but immediately asked for lower due to turbulence. We were issued FL270, and shortly after leveling off, ATC informed us that we appeared to be 300 ft low. We changed the altimeters from 30.29 to 29.92 and adjusted our altitude. To prevent recurrence, I won't be eating crew meals below transition altitude again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 FLC WAS DISTR BY EATING AND FORGOT TO CHANGE ALTIMETER SETTING PASSING THE TRANSITION ALT.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM INDIANAPOLIS, I TURNED ON THE AUTOPLT AT ABOUT 13000 FT AND BEGAN TO PREPARE AND EAT MY CREW MEAL. IT WAS AROUND XI00 AND WE HAD HAD NO CHANCE TO EAT A MEAL SINCE XA00 EARLIER THAT DAY. WHILE DOING SO, WE PASSED THROUGH THE TRANSITION ALT WITHOUT NOTICING. THE FO WAS ALSO PREPARING TO EAT AND MISSED TRANSITION. WE LEVELED AT FL290, BUT IMMEDIATELY ASKED FOR LOWER DUE TO TURB. WE WERE ISSUED FL270, AND SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING OFF, ATC INFORMED US THAT WE APPEARED TO BE 300 FT LOW. WE CHANGED THE ALTIMETERS FROM 30.29 TO 29.92 AND ADJUSTED OUR ALT. TO PREVENT RECURRENCE, I WON'T BE EATING CREW MEALS BELOW TRANSITION ALT AGAIN.

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.