Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Confusion; Workload
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Rejected Takeoff
Human Factors
On the takeoff roll; after calling out 'thrust set'; I scanned the EICAS engine indications; and then I fixated on the altimeter confusing it for the airspeed indicator. When the numbers on the altimeter dial did not increase during the takeoff roll I mistakenly believed it was a stuck airspeed indication and called for an aborted takeoff. The captain aborted the takeoff and we taxied in to a location where we could talk to maintenance. As I was explaining to the Captain what I had seen I realized my mistake; I had confused the Altimeter indication for the Airspeed. There were no problems with the aircraft and we completed the flight safely.
As we discussed the problem the first officer realized that he had become fixated on the altimeter not the airspeed indicator and there was not actually a problem with the airspeed indicator. Once we had established that there was nothing wrong with the aircraft we continued the flight normally.
During the takeoff roll an EMB-145 First Officer call for a reject after scanning his instruments and interpreting the 0 altimeter indication as an airspeed indicator failure.