Widebody transport flight crew mistakenly set their altimeters to inches instead of millibars when arriving in foreign airspace. Approach controller caught their error and they climbed 300 ft.

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Attributes
ACN	539412
Time
Date	200203
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : egtt.artcc
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2700 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tjsj.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	539412
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In cruise, I noted to the first officer after looking at the WX that it seemed like every time I had been to stanstead the altitude had been 29.92, which was actually written in the WX as 0992 millibars. Also, frankfurt always gave the altitude in millibars and inches. Inbound to stanstead, first officer did checklist and we set 29.92 inches instead of 992 millibars. Approach asked us to check our altimeters at 992 which first officer replied 29.92. He said 'negative' 992 millibars. At that point we were 200-300 ft low. We immediately disconnected the autoplt and climbed back to 3000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB FLC MISTAKENLY SET THEIR ALTIMETERS TO INCHES INSTEAD OF MILLIBARS WHEN ARRIVING IN FOREIGN AIRSPACE. APCH CTLR CAUGHT THEIR ERROR AND THEY CLBED 300 FT.

Narrative: IN CRUISE, I NOTED TO THE FO AFTER LOOKING AT THE WX THAT IT SEEMED LIKE EVERY TIME I HAD BEEN TO STANSTEAD THE ALT HAD BEEN 29.92, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY WRITTEN IN THE WX AS 0992 MILLIBARS. ALSO, FRANKFURT ALWAYS GAVE THE ALT IN MILLIBARS AND INCHES. INBOUND TO STANSTEAD, FO DID CHKLIST AND WE SET 29.92 INCHES INSTEAD OF 992 MILLIBARS. APCH ASKED US TO CHK OUR ALTIMETERS AT 992 WHICH FO REPLIED 29.92. HE SAID 'NEGATIVE' 992 MILLIBARS. AT THAT POINT WE WERE 200-300 FT LOW. WE IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND CLBED BACK TO 3000 FT.

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.