Narrative:

Approaching anchorage, alaska, on an IFR flight from barrow, ak, the copilot tuned in ATIS. We were both listening to center and ATIS and mistakenly thought we heard 30.41 for the altimeter setting. We were cleared to descend to 3000 ft. Passing 3500 ft approach asked our altitude. We responded 3500 ft and were advised that radar has us at 2500 ft and that the altimeter setting was 29.41. We set in the correct altimeter setting and began to climb back to 3000 ft at which time we were cleared to 1600 ft. There was a cockpit discussion of how we missed the altimeter setting. During this discussion we inadvertently flew through 1600 ft down to 1200 ft. Approach advised us of this and cleared us for a visual approach. During our initial descent we were advised of VFR traffic which was shown on our TCASII and was not a factor. If we had individually listened to ATIS only, while the other pilot monitored center we would have gotten the correct altimeter setting and not deviated from assigned altitude. Trying to hear ATIS over center radio traffic contributed to the erroneous altimeter setting. Not maintaining a sterile cockpit led to the second altitude deviation. 2 lessons I will remember.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A LEARJET, LR31A, SET THEIR ALTIMETERS TO THE WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING AFTER LISTENING TO ATIS RESULTING IN APCH CTLR ADVISING THEM THAT THEY WERE 500 FT LOWER THAN ASSIGNED. THEY SUBSEQUENTLY, BECAME DISTRACTED AND OVERSHOT THEIR ALT BY 400 FT DURING APCH.

Narrative: APCHING ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, ON AN IFR FLT FROM BARROW, AK, THE COPLT TUNED IN ATIS. WE WERE BOTH LISTENING TO CTR AND ATIS AND MISTAKENLY THOUGHT WE HEARD 30.41 FOR THE ALTIMETER SETTING. WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 3000 FT. PASSING 3500 FT APCH ASKED OUR ALT. WE RESPONDED 3500 FT AND WERE ADVISED THAT RADAR HAS US AT 2500 FT AND THAT THE ALTIMETER SETTING WAS 29.41. WE SET IN THE CORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING AND BEGAN TO CLB BACK TO 3000 FT AT WHICH TIME WE WERE CLRED TO 1600 FT. THERE WAS A COCKPIT DISCUSSION OF HOW WE MISSED THE ALTIMETER SETTING. DURING THIS DISCUSSION WE INADVERTENTLY FLEW THROUGH 1600 FT DOWN TO 1200 FT. APCH ADVISED US OF THIS AND CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH. DURING OUR INITIAL DSCNT WE WERE ADVISED OF VFR TFC WHICH WAS SHOWN ON OUR TCASII AND WAS NOT A FACTOR. IF WE HAD INDIVIDUALLY LISTENED TO ATIS ONLY, WHILE THE OTHER PLT MONITORED CTR WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE CORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING AND NOT DEVIATED FROM ASSIGNED ALT. TRYING TO HEAR ATIS OVER CTR RADIO TFC CONTRIBUTED TO THE ERRONEOUS ALTIMETER SETTING. NOT MAINTAINING A STERILE COCKPIT LED TO THE SECOND ALTDEV. 2 LESSONS I WILL REMEMBER.

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.