AN ACR DC10 FLC DSNDED BELOW THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THEY MISSET THEIR ALTIMETER.

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WE WERE FLYING RADAR VECTORS APCHING AMSTERDAM IN LIGHT TO MODERATE TURB DUE TO STRONG SURFACE WINDS. AS IS COMMON IN EUROPE; THE ALT TO SWITCH FROM QNE TO QNH WAS QUITE LOW BY AMERICAN STANDARDS; 3000 FT IN THIS CASE. WE WERE APPROX 20 NM NW OF AMSTERDAM AT 4000 FT; AND THE CTLR ASSIGNED 3000 FT; ISSUED THE LCL ALTIMETER SETTING IN HECTO-PASCALS; AND ASSIGNED A HDG AND AIRSPD. THE AIRSPD CHANGE REQUIRED A CONFIGN CHANGE. WE CALLED OUT THE VARIOUS ITEMS; BUT IN THE ACTIVITY; THE PF SET THE CORRECT DIGITS IN THE INCORRECT WINDOW OF HIS ALTIMETER. WE ARE SUPPOSED TO CALL OUT 'INCHES' OR 'HECTO-PASCALS;' BUT I SUSPECT HE VERBALIZED ONLY THE DIGITS. I NOTICED THAT HE WAS DSNDING THROUGH THE ASSIGNED ALT ON MY ALTIMETER; AND I CALLED OUT THE DISCREPANCY. HE WAS SLOW TO CORRECT; BECAUSE HIS ALTIMETER INDICATED THAT HE WAS JUST APCHING THE ASSIGNED ALT OF 3000 FT. I LOOKED AT HIS ALTIMETER AND IMMEDIATELY KNEW THE CAUSE OF THE PROB. HE RESET HIS ALTIMETER; AND WE CORRECTED BACK TO THE ASSIGNED ALT. WE HAVE AN ELABORATE SET OF CALLOUTS ASSOCIATED WITH RESETTING ALTIMETERS; AND IT WORKS WELL DOMESTICALLY AND DURING CLBOUT IN EUROPE WHERE THERE IS TIME TO EXECUTE THE PROC. AS IS TYPICAL; WHEN CROWDED; WE SOMETIMES ABBREVIATE THE CALLOUTS; AND WE SOMETIMES MAKE ERRORS. IN THIS 3 PLT COCKPIT; I AM DISAPPOINTED THE SO DID NOT CATCH THE ERROR. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE LOWER CHANGEOVER ALTS ARE COMMON IN EUROPE; BUT THEY CROWD US ON THIS CRUCIAL ITEM.