Flight crew copied wrong altimeter setting causing the aircraft to level off 400 ft too low.

Attributes
ACN	323961
Time
Date	199512
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : esl airport : iad
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9600 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 11500
ASRS Report	323961
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	324070
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer was flying the aircraft, I (captain) was working the radios, talking to company, and recording ATIS for arrival airport (iad). During descent out of FL180, on the jasen 1 arrival to dulles (iad STAR), first officer set 29.94 inches on altimeter and continued descent to assigned altitude of 10000 ft MSL (first officer had received this altimeter setting from ZDC prior to leaving FL180). I again rejoined first officer on ZDC frequency and first officer briefed instrument approach for iad. I read the descent checklist and also set in altimeter setting 29.94 inches. The above was all completed prior to first officer reaching 10000 ft MSL. Upon reaching 10000 ft MSL ZDC called us and told us to change our transponder to 2954. I repeated back the instructions but stated there is no '9' possible for transponder, asked center to 'say again.' center stated we were showing 400 ft low on our altimeter. Then center restated altimeter setting to be 29.54 inches. I crosschecked with (iad) ATIS altimeter reported at 29.53 inches. We both reset our altimeters and first officer corrected altitude back to 10000 ft MSL. ZDC said nothing more and there was no apparent conflict or violations filed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC COPIED WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING CAUSING THE ACFT TO LEVEL OFF 400 FT TOO LOW.

Narrative: FO WAS FLYING THE ACFT, I (CAPT) WAS WORKING THE RADIOS, TALKING TO COMPANY, AND RECORDING ATIS FOR ARR ARPT (IAD). DURING DSCNT OUT OF FL180, ON THE JASEN 1 ARR TO DULLES (IAD STAR), FO SET 29.94 INCHES ON ALTIMETER AND CONTINUED DSCNT TO ASSIGNED ALT OF 10000 FT MSL (FO HAD RECEIVED THIS ALTIMETER SETTING FROM ZDC PRIOR TO LEAVING FL180). I AGAIN REJOINED FO ON ZDC FREQ AND FO BRIEFED INST APCH FOR IAD. I READ THE DSCNT CHKLIST AND ALSO SET IN ALTIMETER SETTING 29.94 INCHES. THE ABOVE WAS ALL COMPLETED PRIOR TO FO REACHING 10000 FT MSL. UPON REACHING 10000 FT MSL ZDC CALLED US AND TOLD US TO CHANGE OUR XPONDER TO 2954. I REPEATED BACK THE INSTRUCTIONS BUT STATED THERE IS NO '9' POSSIBLE FOR XPONDER, ASKED CTR TO 'SAY AGAIN.' CTR STATED WE WERE SHOWING 400 FT LOW ON OUR ALTIMETER. THEN CTR RESTATED ALTIMETER SETTING TO BE 29.54 INCHES. I XCHKED WITH (IAD) ATIS ALTIMETER RPTED AT 29.53 INCHES. WE BOTH RESET OUR ALTIMETERS AND FO CORRECTED ALT BACK TO 10000 FT MSL. ZDC SAID NOTHING MORE AND THERE WAS NO APPARENT CONFLICT OR VIOLATIONS FILED.

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.