Flight crew levels at the wrong altitude due to a wrong altimeter setting.

Attributes
ACN	303127
Time
Date	199504
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rmg
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 112 flight time total : 5265 flight time type : 1441
ASRS Report	303127
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 assigned altitude flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We reported out of 11000 ft for 15000 ft. After we leveled off at 15000 ft center said 'say altitude.' first officer 'level at 15000 ft.' center 'check altimeter setting,' and gave us a different setting than what we had. I pushed the transponder test to see what altitude the controller was seeing, it read 16000 ft. We set in the corrected setting and immediately corrected the altitude to 15000 ft. I believe the main reason for this incident was fatigue. Currently air carrier flies continuous duty overnight XA00-XB00, then on the same line in the same month you report and fly XC00 to XD30 day trips. Your body has no time to adjust, and you end up flying half asleep, or getting disciplinary action if you call in fatigued. There should be a law against a mix of all night trips and then all day trips in the same line in the same month it is not safe because the body has no time to adjust its sleep cycle. Rest regulations that would take into consideration human factors such as circadian rhythms, and sleep cycles would be a lot safer for crews, passenger, and would lower the stress level at FAA ATC ctrs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC LEVELS AT THE WRONG ALT DUE TO A WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING.

Narrative: WE RPTED OUT OF 11000 FT FOR 15000 FT. AFTER WE LEVELED OFF AT 15000 FT CTR SAID 'SAY ALT.' FO 'LEVEL AT 15000 FT.' CTR 'CHK ALTIMETER SETTING,' AND GAVE US A DIFFERENT SETTING THAN WHAT WE HAD. I PUSHED THE XPONDER TEST TO SEE WHAT ALT THE CTLR WAS SEEING, IT READ 16000 FT. WE SET IN THE CORRECTED SETTING AND IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED THE ALT TO 15000 FT. I BELIEVE THE MAIN REASON FOR THIS INCIDENT WAS FATIGUE. CURRENTLY ACR FLIES CONTINUOUS DUTY OVERNIGHT XA00-XB00, THEN ON THE SAME LINE IN THE SAME MONTH YOU RPT AND FLY XC00 TO XD30 DAY TRIPS. YOUR BODY HAS NO TIME TO ADJUST, AND YOU END UP FLYING HALF ASLEEP, OR GETTING DISCIPLINARY ACTION IF YOU CALL IN FATIGUED. THERE SHOULD BE A LAW AGAINST A MIX OF ALL NIGHT TRIPS AND THEN ALL DAY TRIPS IN THE SAME LINE IN THE SAME MONTH IT IS NOT SAFE BECAUSE THE BODY HAS NO TIME TO ADJUST ITS SLEEP CYCLE. REST REGULATIONS THAT WOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION HUMAN FACTORS SUCH AS CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS, AND SLEEP CYCLES WOULD BE A LOT SAFER FOR CREWS, PAX, AND WOULD LOWER THE STRESS LEVEL AT FAA ATC CTRS.

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.