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Light transport level at the wrong assigned altitude due to flight crew making a wrong altimeter setting during descent from high altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 294138 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199501 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ioc |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Brasilia EMB-120 All Series |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : den |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 8700 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 294138 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| 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:
60 NM ssw of ioc at FL260 en route to den, center then clears us to 14000 ft with the altimeter setting I heard as 30.38 inches and set in and called out 'set my side.' my first officer said he would leave in 29.92 inches until passing through FL180. As we descended through 17500 ft, center asked us to increase our descent rate of 1000-1200 FPM. I increased to 2500 FPM. During this phase of flight the conditions are clear, smooth and night is setting. I am the PF. My first officer and I are going over our checklist. My first officer then advised me that he is going to make the company call and get the current ATIS for den. I am the PF and handling the radio with center. Center then hands us off to approach prior to reaching 14000 ft approximately 10 NM from ioc. Approach then instructs us to descend to 11000 ft and after ioc, heading 310 degrees, I set in the 11000 ft into the alerter and advise my first officer who is working the company call. I am level at 11000 ft for approximately 20-30 NM out when the approach controller asked my altitude. I read back 11000 ft. The controller says he shows me at 10000 ft. I quickly look at my first officer's altimeter and it shows 11000 ft, which I read back to the controller. The controller then asked my altimeter setting and I read back 30.38 inches. The controller then calls out a setting of 29.38 inches and to climb and maintain 11000 ft, which I comply. My first officer is still talking to company and is not aware of the problem until I say something. Nothing else was said by the controller. We continued to our destination. On the ground, we tried to figure out what happened. Upon review of the ATIS, it was copied down as 29.38 inches. In the cockpit, there is not a good lighted place to locate a written copy of an ATIS for both crew members. The ATIS is placed on the pedestal between the crew. During the descent, the first officer looked at my altimeter setting and set it in his altimeter. My first officer claims to have accepted and read back 30.38 inches and this is what I feel I heard also.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LTT LEVEL AT THE WRONG ASSIGNED ALT DUE TO FLC MAKING A WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING DURING DSCNT FROM HIGH ALT.
Narrative: 60 NM SSW OF IOC AT FL260 ENRTE TO DEN, CTR THEN CLRS US TO 14000 FT WITH THE ALTIMETER SETTING I HEARD AS 30.38 INCHES AND SET IN AND CALLED OUT 'SET MY SIDE.' MY FO SAID HE WOULD LEAVE IN 29.92 INCHES UNTIL PASSING THROUGH FL180. AS WE DSNDED THROUGH 17500 FT, CTR ASKED US TO INCREASE OUR DSCNT RATE OF 1000-1200 FPM. I INCREASED TO 2500 FPM. DURING THIS PHASE OF FLT THE CONDITIONS ARE CLR, SMOOTH AND NIGHT IS SETTING. I AM THE PF. MY FO AND I ARE GOING OVER OUR CHKLIST. MY FO THEN ADVISED ME THAT HE IS GOING TO MAKE THE COMPANY CALL AND GET THE CURRENT ATIS FOR DEN. I AM THE PF AND HANDLING THE RADIO WITH CTR. CTR THEN HANDS US OFF TO APCH PRIOR TO REACHING 14000 FT APPROX 10 NM FROM IOC. APCH THEN INSTRUCTS US TO DSND TO 11000 FT AND AFTER IOC, HDG 310 DEGS, I SET IN THE 11000 FT INTO THE ALERTER AND ADVISE MY FO WHO IS WORKING THE COMPANY CALL. I AM LEVEL AT 11000 FT FOR APPROX 20-30 NM OUT WHEN THE APCH CTLR ASKED MY ALT. I READ BACK 11000 FT. THE CTLR SAYS HE SHOWS ME AT 10000 FT. I QUICKLY LOOK AT MY FO'S ALTIMETER AND IT SHOWS 11000 FT, WHICH I READ BACK TO THE CTLR. THE CTLR THEN ASKED MY ALTIMETER SETTING AND I READ BACK 30.38 INCHES. THE CTLR THEN CALLS OUT A SETTING OF 29.38 INCHES AND TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 11000 FT, WHICH I COMPLY. MY FO IS STILL TALKING TO COMPANY AND IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROB UNTIL I SAY SOMETHING. NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID BY THE CTLR. WE CONTINUED TO OUR DEST. ON THE GND, WE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED. UPON REVIEW OF THE ATIS, IT WAS COPIED DOWN AS 29.38 INCHES. IN THE COCKPIT, THERE IS NOT A GOOD LIGHTED PLACE TO LOCATE A WRITTEN COPY OF AN ATIS FOR BOTH CREW MEMBERS. THE ATIS IS PLACED ON THE PEDESTAL BTWN THE CREW. DURING THE DSCNT, THE FO LOOKED AT MY ALTIMETER SETTING AND SET IT IN HIS ALTIMETER. MY FO CLAIMS TO HAVE ACCEPTED AND READ BACK 30.38 INCHES AND THIS IS WHAT I FEEL I HEARD ALSO.
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.