After departing sea with a low altimeter setting of 28 pt 97, the crew reset their altimeter climbing through FL180. The captain, however, mistakenly set 28 pt 92 instead of 29 pt 92 causing a 600 ft overshoot of assigned altitude.

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Attributes
ACN	568786
Time
Date	200212
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sea.vortac
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33600
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Ice Turbulence
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	568786
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar/mode c other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory 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:

Departed seatac airport around dawn where altimeter setting was unusually low, 28.97. Going through FL180, I mistakenly set my altimeters to 28.92 (the closest .92) and called for the 'climb checklist.' perhaps due to dim light, my first officer failed to catch my error when executing the checklist, which calls for 'altimeters.' upon passing FL320 for assigned FL330, I called out '32 for 33' at which time my first officer said he was already past FL330. I promptly disengaged autoplt and descended to FL330 on first officer's altimeter. About 3 seconds later, ATC called and asked for our assigned altitude, to which we replied FL330. The controller then said he showed us at FL336, and gave us the altimeter 29.92, with no further comment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER DEPARTING SEA WITH A LOW ALTIMETER SETTING OF 28 PT 97, THE CREW RESET THEIR ALTIMETER CLBING THROUGH FL180. THE CAPT, HOWEVER, MISTAKENLY SET 28 PT 92 INSTEAD OF 29 PT 92 CAUSING A 600 FT OVERSHOOT OF ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: DEPARTED SEATAC ARPT AROUND DAWN WHERE ALTIMETER SETTING WAS UNUSUALLY LOW, 28.97. GOING THROUGH FL180, I MISTAKENLY SET MY ALTIMETERS TO 28.92 (THE CLOSEST .92) AND CALLED FOR THE 'CLB CHKLIST.' PERHAPS DUE TO DIM LIGHT, MY FO FAILED TO CATCH MY ERROR WHEN EXECUTING THE CHKLIST, WHICH CALLS FOR 'ALTIMETERS.' UPON PASSING FL320 FOR ASSIGNED FL330, I CALLED OUT '32 FOR 33' AT WHICH TIME MY FO SAID HE WAS ALREADY PAST FL330. I PROMPTLY DISENGAGED AUTOPLT AND DSNDED TO FL330 ON FO'S ALTIMETER. ABOUT 3 SECONDS LATER, ATC CALLED AND ASKED FOR OUR ASSIGNED ALT, TO WHICH WE REPLIED FL330. THE CTLR THEN SAID HE SHOWED US AT FL336, AND GAVE US THE ALTIMETER 29.92, WITH NO FURTHER COMMENT.

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.