Misset aircraft altimeter resulted in level off at wrong altitude.

Attributes
ACN	114311
Time
Date	198906
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	114311
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Single pilot flying misset kollsman window on ground, resulting in 400' altitude error (altimeter reading low). Checked indicated altitude against assumed field elevation, but under time pressure believed altitude proper (wrong!). After takeoff and initial leveloff, over a 7 minute period, 3 different sectors of departure radar requested 'verify assigned altitude'. Pilot's response, '2000'', which was the altimeter-displayed altitude. After the third 'verification' pilot asked if problem with transponder, then, and only then, controller #3 reported mode C displayed 2400', and gave pilot the altimeter setting. Pilot immediately reset and descended 400'. No further comment from ATC. Checks and balances: pilot's error/violation was simply corrected once revealed, but litigious FAA environment apparently caused controllers to avoid revealing nature and magnitude of discrepancy. Senseless derogation of safety. Controllers should be at liberty to ask not 'verify assigned' but be direct 'xx your mode C shows 2400', what are you doing?' apparently FAA has gone to a policy of 'give them lots of rope to hang themselves' instead of immediately encouraging corrective action. Are they trying to build a better case against inadvertent violators? By avoiding direct disclosure, they left the aircraft at less than standard separation for an extended (:07) period for no good reason.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MISSET ACFT ALTIMETER RESULTED IN LEVEL OFF AT WRONG ALT.

Narrative: SINGLE PLT FLYING MISSET KOLLSMAN WINDOW ON GND, RESULTING IN 400' ALT ERROR (ALTIMETER READING LOW). CHECKED INDICATED ALT AGAINST ASSUMED FIELD ELEVATION, BUT UNDER TIME PRESSURE BELIEVED ALT PROPER (WRONG!). AFTER TKOF AND INITIAL LEVELOFF, OVER A 7 MINUTE PERIOD, 3 DIFFERENT SECTORS OF DEP RADAR REQUESTED 'VERIFY ASSIGNED ALT'. PLT'S RESPONSE, '2000'', WHICH WAS THE ALTIMETER-DISPLAYED ALT. AFTER THE THIRD 'VERIFICATION' PLT ASKED IF PROBLEM WITH XPONDER, THEN, AND ONLY THEN, CTLR #3 REPORTED MODE C DISPLAYED 2400', AND GAVE PLT THE ALTIMETER SETTING. PLT IMMEDIATELY RESET AND DESCENDED 400'. NO FURTHER COMMENT FROM ATC. CHECKS AND BALANCES: PLT'S ERROR/VIOLATION WAS SIMPLY CORRECTED ONCE REVEALED, BUT LITIGIOUS FAA ENVIRONMENT APPARENTLY CAUSED CTLRS TO AVOID REVEALING NATURE AND MAGNITUDE OF DISCREPANCY. SENSELESS DEROGATION OF SAFETY. CTLRS SHOULD BE AT LIBERTY TO ASK NOT 'VERIFY ASSIGNED' BUT BE DIRECT 'XX YOUR MODE C SHOWS 2400', WHAT ARE YOU DOING?' APPARENTLY FAA HAS GONE TO A POLICY OF 'GIVE THEM LOTS OF ROPE TO HANG THEMSELVES' INSTEAD OF IMMEDIATELY ENCOURAGING CORRECTIVE ACTION. ARE THEY TRYING TO BUILD A BETTER CASE AGAINST INADVERTENT VIOLATORS? BY AVOIDING DIRECT DISCLOSURE, THEY LEFT THE ACFT AT LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION FOR AN EXTENDED (:07) PERIOD FOR NO GOOD REASON.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.