Narrative:

In 2/89, while on approach to frankfurt/main, federal republic of germany, the wrong altimeter was set on all four cockpit altimeters during approach vectors. Descending through approximately 12000', outside of nattenheim with altimeters set at 29.92 and to be reset passing through the trans level, to be given by ATC. The second officer mentioned that the ATIS report he had previously received was rapidly given and difficult to understand. West of frankfurt VOR we were switched to the approach director. He cleared us to 4000' with an altimeter of 'niner-seven eight hp.' the hp was somewhat muted. We noted on the ATIS information the altimeter of 29.78, which agreed with what we thought the director had given, and set that in our altimeters as we left 9000'. We leveled out at 4000' over the VOR and were given vectors northeast for an approach and landing on 25L. While inbound heading 110 degrees, the approach director asked our altitude. I replied, '4000'.' shortly thereafter the same director again requested our altitude. All 3 of us rechked 29.78 set in the altimeters and that we were level 4000'. A different voice (female) came on the radio and said the altimeter was '28.88'.' we set that in our altimeters and noted our altitude of 3100'. I transmitted that we were 'climbing up to 4000'.' the first officer and I then noted on the ATIS sheet the 28.88, which we had not acted upon prior to that time. I had the second officer rechk the ATIS information. He did and told the first officer and I that the WX was about the same the altimeter was 28.88. This was my first flight into frankfurt in about 2 yrs, the first officer's seventh that month, and the first time into frankfurt for the second officer. I felt alert and 'none the worse for wear' after the all night north atlantic crossing. WX: our forecast WX was good for our arrival with strong winds and good visibility. The ATIS report affirmed this. I concerned myself (in additions to my normal duties) more with the oncoming landing phase of the flight due to the reported winds, and preparing for that rather than for a different attitude if we were going to conduct a low visibility approach with altitude WX/fuel requirements/company reports/etc to plan for. Cause of problem: there was nothing in the taf (terminal air forecast) to warn us of the low altimeter. I checked this after landing on the WX forecasts we had received out of boston. The failure of both the ATIS and the approach director to state the altimeter as 978 'hectopascals.' they both used the term 'hp.' we confirmed this on the ATIS for our departure to gatwick that day, and the next day when we again landed at frankfurt on a scheduled flight. Both the ATIS and the approach director used the abbreviation 'hp.' there was my failure to rechk the ATIS when the second officer said he had a difficult time understanding the ATIS information. Recommendation: ensure that ATIS information is given in a not-too-rapid fashion, and that no abbreviations be used. This should also apply to approach controllers. It would be best to do away with the use of 'hectopascals' as well as 'millibars,' and use a worldwide standard of 'inches,' when giving altimeter settings.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION, WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING.

Narrative: IN 2/89, WHILE ON APCH TO FRANKFURT/MAIN, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY, THE WRONG ALTIMETER WAS SET ON ALL FOUR COCKPIT ALTIMETERS DURING APCH VECTORS. DSNDING THROUGH APPROX 12000', OUTSIDE OF NATTENHEIM WITH ALTIMETERS SET AT 29.92 AND TO BE RESET PASSING THROUGH THE TRANS LEVEL, TO BE GIVEN BY ATC. THE S/O MENTIONED THAT THE ATIS RPT HE HAD PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED WAS RAPIDLY GIVEN AND DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. W OF FRANKFURT VOR WE WERE SWITCHED TO THE APCH DIRECTOR. HE CLRED US TO 4000' WITH AN ALTIMETER OF 'NINER-SEVEN EIGHT HP.' THE HP WAS SOMEWHAT MUTED. WE NOTED ON THE ATIS INFO THE ALTIMETER OF 29.78, WHICH AGREED WITH WHAT WE THOUGHT THE DIRECTOR HAD GIVEN, AND SET THAT IN OUR ALTIMETERS AS WE LEFT 9000'. WE LEVELED OUT AT 4000' OVER THE VOR AND WERE GIVEN VECTORS NE FOR AN APCH AND LNDG ON 25L. WHILE INBND HDG 110 DEGS, THE APCH DIRECTOR ASKED OUR ALT. I REPLIED, '4000'.' SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE SAME DIRECTOR AGAIN REQUESTED OUR ALT. ALL 3 OF US RECHKED 29.78 SET IN THE ALTIMETERS AND THAT WE WERE LEVEL 4000'. A DIFFERENT VOICE (FEMALE) CAME ON THE RADIO AND SAID THE ALTIMETER WAS '28.88'.' WE SET THAT IN OUR ALTIMETERS AND NOTED OUR ALT OF 3100'. I XMITTED THAT WE WERE 'CLBING UP TO 4000'.' THE F/O AND I THEN NOTED ON THE ATIS SHEET THE 28.88, WHICH WE HAD NOT ACTED UPON PRIOR TO THAT TIME. I HAD THE S/O RECHK THE ATIS INFO. HE DID AND TOLD THE F/O AND I THAT THE WX WAS ABOUT THE SAME THE ALTIMETER WAS 28.88. THIS WAS MY FIRST FLT INTO FRANKFURT IN ABOUT 2 YRS, THE F/O'S SEVENTH THAT MONTH, AND THE FIRST TIME INTO FRANKFURT FOR THE S/O. I FELT ALERT AND 'NONE THE WORSE FOR WEAR' AFTER THE ALL NIGHT NORTH ATLANTIC XING. WX: OUR FORECAST WX WAS GOOD FOR OUR ARR WITH STRONG WINDS AND GOOD VISIBILITY. THE ATIS RPT AFFIRMED THIS. I CONCERNED MYSELF (IN ADDITIONS TO MY NORMAL DUTIES) MORE WITH THE ONCOMING LNDG PHASE OF THE FLT DUE TO THE RPTED WINDS, AND PREPARING FOR THAT RATHER THAN FOR A DIFFERENT ATTITUDE IF WE WERE GOING TO CONDUCT A LOW VISIBILITY APCH WITH ALT WX/FUEL REQUIREMENTS/COMPANY RPTS/ETC TO PLAN FOR. CAUSE OF PROB: THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE TAF (TERMINAL AIR FORECAST) TO WARN US OF THE LOW ALTIMETER. I CHKED THIS AFTER LNDG ON THE WX FORECASTS WE HAD RECEIVED OUT OF BOSTON. THE FAILURE OF BOTH THE ATIS AND THE APCH DIRECTOR TO STATE THE ALTIMETER AS 978 'HECTOPASCALS.' THEY BOTH USED THE TERM 'HP.' WE CONFIRMED THIS ON THE ATIS FOR OUR DEP TO GATWICK THAT DAY, AND THE NEXT DAY WHEN WE AGAIN LANDED AT FRANKFURT ON A SCHEDULED FLT. BOTH THE ATIS AND THE APCH DIRECTOR USED THE ABBREVIATION 'HP.' THERE WAS MY FAILURE TO RECHK THE ATIS WHEN THE S/O SAID HE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME UNDERSTANDING THE ATIS INFO. RECOMMENDATION: ENSURE THAT ATIS INFO IS GIVEN IN A NOT-TOO-RAPID FASHION, AND THAT NO ABBREVIATIONS BE USED. THIS SHOULD ALSO APPLY TO APCH CTLRS. IT WOULD BE BEST TO DO AWAY WITH THE USE OF 'HECTOPASCALS' AS WELL AS 'MILLIBARS,' AND USE A WORLDWIDE STANDARD OF 'INCHES,' WHEN GIVING ALTIMETER SETTINGS.

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.