Narrative:

During climb to altitude on a dead head leg between pcf and sav. Copilot was flying and I was giving him oral instruction on single engine emergency procedures including flight characteristics emergency action procedures and autofeather operation. The copilot, though low time, 700 hours tt, 75 multi, has shown unusual competence for his experience level. As we climbed to FL210 I continued to explain the procedures and autofeather operation as he leveled off. He listened intently and asked appropriate questions as we leveled off. However, to gain an element of surprise on what he was sure would be a single engine emergency, I shut down the left engine as he was setting the propellers for cruise. He completed the steps well, but lost 200' of altitude. Shortly thereafter, as we were discussing flight characteristics jax center called and said we were 300' low. It was then noticed that the altimeter was still set to the local altimeter setting of 30.15 and we indeed were in violation. Unfortunately, single engine performance at that altitude wouldn't permit an adequate climb so I had to request descent to FL190. Fortunately, the violation had no severe safety implications, but it could have. My complacency about the copilot's good performance caused me to not watch closely enough during the routine climb and let me assume he would maintain his altitude when the failure occurred. Also my poor judgement in doing this action under IFR didn't permit quick recovery to avoid violating airspace and, had I completed the cruise check before shutting down the engine, we would have noted the altimeter setting and the violation would have not occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EXCURSION FROM ASSIGNED ALT WHEN PIC ELECTED TO SHUT DOWN ENGINE FOR TRAINING. ALTIMETER HAD NOT BEEN SET LEAVING FL180.

Narrative: DURING CLB TO ALT ON A DEAD HEAD LEG BTWN PCF AND SAV. COPLT WAS FLYING AND I WAS GIVING HIM ORAL INSTRUCTION ON SINGLE ENG EMER PROCS INCLUDING FLT CHARACTERISTICS EMER ACTION PROCS AND AUTOFEATHER OPERATION. THE COPLT, THOUGH LOW TIME, 700 HRS TT, 75 MULTI, HAS SHOWN UNUSUAL COMPETENCE FOR HIS EXPERIENCE LEVEL. AS WE CLBED TO FL210 I CONTINUED TO EXPLAIN THE PROCS AND AUTOFEATHER OPERATION AS HE LEVELED OFF. HE LISTENED INTENTLY AND ASKED APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS AS WE LEVELED OFF. HOWEVER, TO GAIN AN ELEMENT OF SURPRISE ON WHAT HE WAS SURE WOULD BE A SINGLE ENG EMER, I SHUT DOWN THE LEFT ENG AS HE WAS SETTING THE PROPS FOR CRUISE. HE COMPLETED THE STEPS WELL, BUT LOST 200' OF ALT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, AS WE WERE DISCUSSING FLT CHARACTERISTICS JAX CENTER CALLED AND SAID WE WERE 300' LOW. IT WAS THEN NOTICED THAT THE ALTIMETER WAS STILL SET TO THE LCL ALTIMETER SETTING OF 30.15 AND WE INDEED WERE IN VIOLATION. UNFORTUNATELY, SINGLE ENG PERFORMANCE AT THAT ALT WOULDN'T PERMIT AN ADEQUATE CLB SO I HAD TO REQUEST DSCNT TO FL190. FORTUNATELY, THE VIOLATION HAD NO SEVERE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS, BUT IT COULD HAVE. MY COMPLACENCY ABOUT THE COPLT'S GOOD PERFORMANCE CAUSED ME TO NOT WATCH CLOSELY ENOUGH DURING THE ROUTINE CLB AND LET ME ASSUME HE WOULD MAINTAIN HIS ALT WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. ALSO MY POOR JUDGEMENT IN DOING THIS ACTION UNDER IFR DIDN'T PERMIT QUICK RECOVERY TO AVOID VIOLATING AIRSPACE AND, HAD I COMPLETED THE CRUISE CHK BEFORE SHUTTING DOWN THE ENG, WE WOULD HAVE NOTED THE ALTIMETER SETTING AND THE VIOLATION WOULD HAVE NOT OCCURRED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.