E145 FLT CREW; FATIGUED AND HUNGRY DISCOVER THEY FAILED TO SET THE ALTIMETERS TO STANDARD PRESSURE DURING CLB TO FL270.

Date: 2004-09 · Aircraft: EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR · Phase: climb

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far

Synopsis

E145 FLT CREW; FATIGUED AND HUNGRY DISCOVER THEY FAILED TO SET THE ALTIMETERS TO STANDARD PRESSURE DURING CLB TO FL270.

Narrative

WHILE ENRTE TO YUL FROM JFK THE FO WAS FLYING AND I WAS STARVING. WE HAD AN XA00 WAKEUP CALL FOR AN XB10 VAN RIDE. I HAD NOT EATEN SINCE XC00 THE DAY BEFORE AND I NEEDED TO EAT. WHILE CLBING OUT OF 12000 FT I ASKED THE FO IF HE WOULD MIND TAKING OVER THE RADIO SO I COULD EAT SOME OF MY SANDWICH. HE DID AS ASKED AND AFTER SEVERAL LEVEL OFFS WE WERE CLRED TO FL270. AT ONE POINT I REMEMBER BEING LEVEL AT 17000 FT FOR A WHILE AND THEN SOMETHING DISTR US. LATER WE HAD A SLOW CLB TO THE FINAL ALT AND BOS ASKED US TO VERIFY OUR ALT ON 135.7. THAT'S WHEN WE BOTH NOTICED THE ALTIMETER SETTING ERROR. BOS DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ELSE; HOWEVER; WE WERE PRETTY SURE HE WAS AWARE OF WHAT HAPPENED. FOR ME IT WAS THE 6TH DAY AND NOTHING SEEMED TO GO AS PLANNED ON ANY OF THE DAYS. THE FO WAS FORCED TO 'TDY' FROM LAX AND WAS ALSO OBVIOUSLY NOT AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME EITHER. THE COMBINATION OF FATIGUE; LACK OF GOOD SLEEP; AND IRREGULAR EATING SCHEDULES; THIS TRIP PROVED TO BE INSIDIOUS. IN THE FUTURE I WILL BE MORE IN TUNE WITH THESE LITTLE ALARMS AND EITHER CALL IN FATIGUED OR TAKE A MEAL BREAK. THE THING WAS THAT UP UNTIL THIS EVENT OCCURRED; I WOULD HAVE SAID THAT I WAS OK; A LITTLE TIRED FROM THE EARLY SHOW; BUT OTHERWISE FINE. THE TRUTH WAS IT HIT ME LIKE A TON OF BRICKS.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.