C150 pilot descended below 500 ft AGL while practicing forced lndgs.

Attributes
ACN	348365
Time
Date	199609
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 3mi7
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 120
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 250 flight time type : 235
ASRS Report	348365
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While practicing simulated engine failures, I noticed that my sight picture looked different each time I broke off my approach at 500 ft AGL (according to my altimeter). Each time I looked lower than my altimeter indicated. Upon returning to my home base airport, which I had departed only 1 hour earlier, I listened to ATIS only to discover that I had inadvertently entered the wrong altimeter setting. The altimeter setting that I had entered caused me to be 200 ft lower than the altimeter indicated. Upon reflection, there were a number of factors that contributed to descending below 500 ft AGL. First, upon departure I should have listened to ATIS more closely for the correct altimeter setting. Secondly, I should have confirmed that the altimeter setting that I entered was within 75 ft of the field elevation. Lastly, I should have not continued to practice simulated engine failures when my sight picture did not look right. From now on I will always confirm my altimeter setting before takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C150 PLT DSNDED BELOW 500 FT AGL WHILE PRACTICING FORCED LNDGS.

Narrative: WHILE PRACTICING SIMULATED ENG FAILURES, I NOTICED THAT MY SIGHT PICTURE LOOKED DIFFERENT EACH TIME I BROKE OFF MY APCH AT 500 FT AGL (ACCORDING TO MY ALTIMETER). EACH TIME I LOOKED LOWER THAN MY ALTIMETER INDICATED. UPON RETURNING TO MY HOME BASE ARPT, WHICH I HAD DEPARTED ONLY 1 HR EARLIER, I LISTENED TO ATIS ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT I HAD INADVERTENTLY ENTERED THE WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING. THE ALTIMETER SETTING THAT I HAD ENTERED CAUSED ME TO BE 200 FT LOWER THAN THE ALTIMETER INDICATED. UPON REFLECTION, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO DSNDING BELOW 500 FT AGL. FIRST, UPON DEP I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO ATIS MORE CLOSELY FOR THE CORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING. SECONDLY, I SHOULD HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THE ALTIMETER SETTING THAT I ENTERED WAS WITHIN 75 FT OF THE FIELD ELEVATION. LASTLY, I SHOULD HAVE NOT CONTINUED TO PRACTICE SIMULATED ENG FAILURES WHEN MY SIGHT PICTURE DID NOT LOOK RIGHT. FROM NOW ON I WILL ALWAYS CONFIRM MY ALTIMETER SETTING BEFORE TKOF.

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.