GA pilot of small aircraft aircraft was shown off assigned altitude due to an altimeter setting at d...

Attributes
ACN	211242
Time
Date	199205
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sjc airport : pao
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6700 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zoa
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	211242
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Handoff from day departure to ZOA. Given castle AFB altimeter setting. About 0.2-0.3 inch hg lower than pad, departure airport. Center then advised (I) am off altitude 300 ft, altimeter centered. Later readings ok. Feel this is due to fact I was about 50 plus mi from castle AFB and not in low pressure area chronically in ca, central valley. Thus, altimeter discrepancy due to transition from high to low, situation exacerbated by 50 ft altimeter error on ground. Mechanical. Later ok as I moved into valley low. Implication -- watch out for distant altimeter settings.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT OF SMA ACFT WAS SHOWN OFF ASSIGNED ALT DUE TO AN ALTIMETER SETTING AT DEST STATION.

Narrative: HDOF FROM DAY DEP TO ZOA. GIVEN CASTLE AFB ALTIMETER SETTING. ABOUT 0.2-0.3 INCH HG LOWER THAN PAD, DEP ARPT. CTR THEN ADVISED (I) AM OFF ALT 300 FT, ALTIMETER CTRED. LATER READINGS OK. FEEL THIS IS DUE TO FACT I WAS ABOUT 50 PLUS MI FROM CASTLE AFB AND NOT IN LOW PRESSURE AREA CHRONICALLY IN CA, CENTRAL VALLEY. THUS, ALTIMETER DISCREPANCY DUE TO TRANSITION FROM HIGH TO LOW, SITUATION EXACERBATED BY 50 FT ALTIMETER ERROR ON GND. MECHANICAL. LATER OK AS I MOVED INTO VALLEY LOW. IMPLICATION -- WATCH OUT FOR DISTANT ALTIMETER SETTINGS.

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 pilot of small aircraft aircraft was shown off assigned altitude due to an altimeter setting at destination station.