Narrative:

On my first flight in IMC as an instrument rated pilot, I climbed to the assigned altitude and was cruising there for approximately 15 mins. ATC contacted me and queried me regarding my requested altitude and provided the current altimeter setting. Upon checking, I discovered that the altimeter setting was incorrect. I reset the altimeter and descended to the correct altitude. I know that I adjusted the altimeter during the ground check, but I believe that I set only the last 2 digits of the setting correctly. I believe that I set 29.29 instead of 30.29. I failed to confirm field elevation on the altimeter and the elevation displayed by the transponder. Contributing factors include anxiety regarding the first flight into IMC, and a high pressure system that moved into the area. The altimeter setting from 3 days earlier was 29.43. To prevent this error in the future, I am going to augment my checklist to include the specific task of verifying the field elevation instead of the general task 'flight instruments -- check and set.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A NEWLY INST RATED PLT SETS HIS ALTIMETER INCORRECTLY RESULTING IN A 1000 FT ERROR IN HIS ALT UNTIL QUERIED BY ATC ABOUT HIS DESIRED ALT.

Narrative: ON MY FIRST FLT IN IMC AS AN INST RATED PLT, I CLBED TO THE ASSIGNED ALT AND WAS CRUISING THERE FOR APPROX 15 MINS. ATC CONTACTED ME AND QUERIED ME REGARDING MY REQUESTED ALT AND PROVIDED THE CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING. UPON CHKING, I DISCOVERED THAT THE ALTIMETER SETTING WAS INCORRECT. I RESET THE ALTIMETER AND DSNDED TO THE CORRECT ALT. I KNOW THAT I ADJUSTED THE ALTIMETER DURING THE GND CHK, BUT I BELIEVE THAT I SET ONLY THE LAST 2 DIGITS OF THE SETTING CORRECTLY. I BELIEVE THAT I SET 29.29 INSTEAD OF 30.29. I FAILED TO CONFIRM FIELD ELEVATION ON THE ALTIMETER AND THE ELEVATION DISPLAYED BY THE XPONDER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE ANXIETY REGARDING THE FIRST FLT INTO IMC, AND A HIGH PRESSURE SYS THAT MOVED INTO THE AREA. THE ALTIMETER SETTING FROM 3 DAYS EARLIER WAS 29.43. TO PREVENT THIS ERROR IN THE FUTURE, I AM GOING TO AUGMENT MY CHKLIST TO INCLUDE THE SPECIFIC TASK OF VERIFYING THE FIELD ELEVATION INSTEAD OF THE GENERAL TASK 'FLT INSTS -- CHK AND SET.'

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.