Narrative:

Given late descent clearance and a hectic workload, both pilots failed to catch a misset altimeter. It's my personal habit pattern to pick up the ATIS 200 NM out. Unable to receive acn ATIS until approximately 100 NM or less (same situation in slc) so I get ATIS during descent and the captain is working communication, I with ATC. While I am getting the ATIS, he is given further dscnts, turns, and restrictions. ATIS broadcasts visuals to ry 6L and 6R with the OM, ILS and anc VOR/DME all inoperative. Compound this with radio calls to ramp to get gate and advise of close connections with another carrier then to the PA to welcome and appease the passengers. Now with my secretarial duties complete, I inform the captain that I'm back in the loop. He informs me of altitude restriction and clearance and calls for descent check. (Our descent was idle power and full spdbrakes). I completed descent check and immediately complied with captain's request to build an approach in the FMS for a reference (captain had not flown into acn for 2 yrs). This all was done in what at least seemed like an incredibly short time. In my haste, I failed to catch captain misset his altimeter to 29.80 instead of 28.80. In my xchk I noticed the last two digits and must have been satisfied because we both commented on the low setting (the standby and first officer altimeter were both set correctly). While my head was buried in the cockpit working with the FMS, center called and reminded us of the altimeter and cleared altitude of 10000' MSL. Our oversight became immediately apparent and he cleared us to 9000'. The controller was sharp and unfortunately I wasn't. I personally feel that ATIS's should be able to be picked up 200 NM out. This might have prevented this. Even though I must accept the blame, I feel that the heavy workload was a contributing factor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW MISSET ALTIMETER BY 1000' DURING PERIOD LOW EXTREMELY LOW BAROMETRIC PRESSURE.

Narrative: GIVEN LATE DSNT CLRNC AND A HECTIC WORKLOAD, BOTH PLTS FAILED TO CATCH A MISSET ALTIMETER. IT'S MY PERSONAL HABIT PATTERN TO PICK UP THE ATIS 200 NM OUT. UNABLE TO RECEIVE ACN ATIS UNTIL APPROX 100 NM OR LESS (SAME SITUATION IN SLC) SO I GET ATIS DURING DSNT AND THE CAPT IS WORKING COM, I WITH ATC. WHILE I AM GETTING THE ATIS, HE IS GIVEN FURTHER DSCNTS, TURNS, AND RESTRICTIONS. ATIS BROADCASTS VISUALS TO RY 6L AND 6R WITH THE OM, ILS AND ANC VOR/DME ALL INOPERATIVE. COMPOUND THIS WITH RADIO CALLS TO RAMP TO GET GATE AND ADVISE OF CLOSE CONNECTIONS WITH ANOTHER CARRIER THEN TO THE PA TO WELCOME AND APPEASE THE PAXS. NOW WITH MY SECRETARIAL DUTIES COMPLETE, I INFORM THE CAPT THAT I'M BACK IN THE LOOP. HE INFORMS ME OF ALT RESTRICTION AND CLRNC AND CALLS FOR DSNT CHK. (OUR DSNT WAS IDLE PWR AND FULL SPDBRAKES). I COMPLETED DSNT CHK AND IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED WITH CAPT'S REQUEST TO BUILD AN APCH IN THE FMS FOR A REFERENCE (CAPT HAD NOT FLOWN INTO ACN FOR 2 YRS). THIS ALL WAS DONE IN WHAT AT LEAST SEEMED LIKE AN INCREDIBLY SHORT TIME. IN MY HASTE, I FAILED TO CATCH CAPT MISSET HIS ALTIMETER TO 29.80 INSTEAD OF 28.80. IN MY XCHK I NOTICED THE LAST TWO DIGITS AND MUST HAVE BEEN SATISFIED BECAUSE WE BOTH COMMENTED ON THE LOW SETTING (THE STANDBY AND F/O ALTIMETER WERE BOTH SET CORRECTLY). WHILE MY HEAD WAS BURIED IN THE COCKPIT WORKING WITH THE FMS, CTR CALLED AND REMINDED US OF THE ALTIMETER AND CLRED ALT OF 10000' MSL. OUR OVERSIGHT BECAME IMMEDIATELY APPARENT AND HE CLRED US TO 9000'. THE CTLR WAS SHARP AND UNFORTUNATELY I WASN'T. I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT ATIS'S SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE PICKED UP 200 NM OUT. THIS MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED THIS. EVEN THOUGH I MUST ACCEPT THE BLAME, I FEEL THAT THE HVY WORKLOAD WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

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.