A C406 pilot reports setting altimeter to field elevation before departure and after takeoff leveling 1000 ft high because of altimeter setting error.

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Attributes
ACN	719402
Time
Date	200612
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cak.tracon
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Snow
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cak.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Caravan II F406
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 265 flight time total : 4900 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	719402
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Prior to departure the checklist called for setting the altimeter which I chose to set to the field elevation. I had flown the aircraft 4 days previously and during that time there was a low pressure. Today there was very high pressure and the needle appeared to be only about 40 ft off from the field elevation. I reset the needle and completed my checklist. Upon climb out I was assigned 4000 ft by akron/canton ATC. As I was climbing; ATC advised me that I was assigned 4000 ft and gave me the altimeter setting which I acknowledged and kept climbing. As I started to level off; I noticed that there was a problem with the altimeter setting as it was way off from what ATC had given me. I reset the altimeter to the correct setting and descended to the correct altitude. During the past 4 days; it appears that the pressure had changed just about exactly the amount to change the altimeter by 1000 ft and I had just set the large needle to what I had thought was the correct field elevation without backing up the thousands needle.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C406 PLT RPTS SETTING ALTIMETER TO FIELD ELEVATION BEFORE DEP AND AFTER TKOF LEVELING 1000 FT HIGH BECAUSE OF ALTIMETER SETTING ERROR.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEP THE CHKLIST CALLED FOR SETTING THE ALTIMETER WHICH I CHOSE TO SET TO THE FIELD ELEVATION. I HAD FLOWN THE ACFT 4 DAYS PREVIOUSLY AND DURING THAT TIME THERE WAS A LOW PRESSURE. TODAY THERE WAS VERY HIGH PRESSURE AND THE NEEDLE APPEARED TO BE ONLY ABOUT 40 FT OFF FROM THE FIELD ELEVATION. I RESET THE NEEDLE AND COMPLETED MY CHKLIST. UPON CLBOUT I WAS ASSIGNED 4000 FT BY AKRON/CANTON ATC. AS I WAS CLBING; ATC ADVISED ME THAT I WAS ASSIGNED 4000 FT AND GAVE ME THE ALTIMETER SETTING WHICH I ACKNOWLEDGED AND KEPT CLBING. AS I STARTED TO LEVEL OFF; I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A PROB WITH THE ALTIMETER SETTING AS IT WAS WAY OFF FROM WHAT ATC HAD GIVEN ME. I RESET THE ALTIMETER TO THE CORRECT SETTING AND DSNDED TO THE CORRECT ALT. DURING THE PAST 4 DAYS; IT APPEARS THAT THE PRESSURE HAD CHANGED JUST ABOUT EXACTLY THE AMOUNT TO CHANGE THE ALTIMETER BY 1000 FT AND I HAD JUST SET THE LARGE NEEDLE TO WHAT I HAD THOUGHT WAS THE CORRECT FIELD ELEVATION WITHOUT BACKING UP THE THOUSANDS NEEDLE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.