GA small aircraft altitude deviation undershot clearance altitude because altitude was set 1000 ft o...

Attributes
ACN	197071
Time
Date	199112
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hio
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pdx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude ground : preflight
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 17 flight time total : 720 flight time type : 230
ASRS Report	197071
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I filed an IFR flight plan with the FSS for a canby 6 canby departure from hio with radar vectors to the approach at ttd at 4000 ft. I got my clearance from hio ground control after obtaining the current ATIS. The altimeter setting was carried by ATIS as 29.74. It had been several days since I had flown the aircraft and the barometer had gone down a lot. I misset the altimeter to 30.74. My clearance from hio ground controller was cleared to ttd via canby 6 canby, 4000 ft approach on 126.0 with transponder code XXXX. After departing hio I contacted portland approach 126.0 and was given maintain 3000 ft and a heading of 090 to intercept the NDB approach course at ttd. I sensed that something was not right as I had gotten to 3000 ft much sooner than I thought was normal and I was trying to figure it out when the controller advised me to stop squawking altitude as it was showing me 1000 ft off altitude. Then I knew what was wrong and asked the controller for the current altimeter setting and was given 29.74. I set in my altimeter and started climbing to 3000 ft and advised the controller I was too low and he advised to return to squawking altitude, in the process I flew through the intercept for the NDB and had to be turned back to the intercept by the controller. The controller did nothing wrong and in fact may have saved an accident or even worse. I flat screwed up setting my altimeter and did not know it even when I checked it a second time before departure. I knew what I did wrong and think I know how I did it without knowing it. With the needles of the altimeter in this position the 100 ft needle is just about over the 1000 needle and not seeing the second needle I was fooled in believing that I had set the altimeter correctly and that the altitude was proper. I should have been more diligent in reading the altitude. I know I will have to be even more diligent in the future in setting the equipment in the aircraft. Although I was using my checklist I still missed my own error. Thanks for sharp controllers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ALTDEV UNDERSHOT CLRNC ALT BECAUSE ALT WAS SET 1000 FT OFF ARPT ALT AT TKOF.

Narrative: I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN WITH THE FSS FOR A CANBY 6 CANBY DEP FROM HIO WITH RADAR VECTORS TO THE APCH AT TTD AT 4000 FT. I GOT MY CLRNC FROM HIO GND CTL AFTER OBTAINING THE CURRENT ATIS. THE ALTIMETER SETTING WAS CARRIED BY ATIS AS 29.74. IT HAD BEEN SEVERAL DAYS SINCE I HAD FLOWN THE ACFT AND THE BAROMETER HAD GONE DOWN A LOT. I MISSET THE ALTIMETER TO 30.74. MY CLRNC FROM HIO GND CTLR WAS CLRED TO TTD VIA CANBY 6 CANBY, 4000 FT APCH ON 126.0 WITH TRANSPONDER CODE XXXX. AFTER DEPARTING HIO I CONTACTED PORTLAND APCH 126.0 AND WAS GIVEN MAINTAIN 3000 FT AND A HDG OF 090 TO INTERCEPT THE NDB APCH COURSE AT TTD. I SENSED THAT SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT AS I HAD GOTTEN TO 3000 FT MUCH SOONER THAN I THOUGHT WAS NORMAL AND I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT WHEN THE CTLR ADVISED ME TO STOP SQUAWKING ALT AS IT WAS SHOWING ME 1000 FT OFF ALT. THEN I KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG AND ASKED THE CTLR FOR THE CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING AND WAS GIVEN 29.74. I SET IN MY ALTIMETER AND STARTED CLBING TO 3000 FT AND ADVISED THE CTLR I WAS TOO LOW AND HE ADVISED TO RETURN TO SQUAWKING ALT, IN THE PROCESS I FLEW THROUGH THE INTERCEPT FOR THE NDB AND HAD TO BE TURNED BACK TO THE INTERCEPT BY THE CTLR. THE CTLR DID NOTHING WRONG AND IN FACT MAY HAVE SAVED AN ACCIDENT OR EVEN WORSE. I FLAT SCREWED UP SETTING MY ALTIMETER AND DID NOT KNOW IT EVEN WHEN I CHKED IT A SECOND TIME BEFORE DEP. I KNEW WHAT I DID WRONG AND THINK I KNOW HOW I DID IT WITHOUT KNOWING IT. WITH THE NEEDLES OF THE ALTIMETER IN THIS POS THE 100 FT NEEDLE IS JUST ABOUT OVER THE 1000 NEEDLE AND NOT SEEING THE SECOND NEEDLE I WAS FOOLED IN BELIEVING THAT I HAD SET THE ALTIMETER CORRECTLY AND THAT THE ALT WAS PROPER. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DILIGENT IN READING THE ALT. I KNOW I WILL HAVE TO BE EVEN MORE DILIGENT IN THE FUTURE IN SETTING THE EQUIP IN THE ACFT. ALTHOUGH I WAS USING MY CHKLIST I STILL MISSED MY OWN ERROR. THANKS FOR SHARP CTLRS.

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

GA small aircraft altitude deviation undershot clearance altitude because altitude was set 1000 ft off airport altitude at takeoff.