Air carrier large transport north descent misset altitude.

Attributes
ACN	165261
Time
Date	199012
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : anc
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : anc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	165261
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 14500
ASRS Report	165591
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Before being handed off to approach control, the second officer properly filled out the ATIS card and passed it up to us. The altimeter setting was 28.96 but we set 29.86 in our altimeters. On the localizer approach we realized the error and executed a missed approach and then landed west/O incident. Contributing factors include turbulence, a busy approach, use of a non precision approach, and a much slower aircraft in front of us that we were continuously overtaking. In reconstructing the actual flight profile we feel confident that no minimum altitudes were violated. The responsibility for such a mistake is ours. However, in retrospect, the occurrence may have been avoided if each controller were to confirm altimeter settings as 'low' when they are below 29.00. Neither approach controller alerted us to low altimeter settings.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT N DESCENT MISSET ALT.

Narrative: BEFORE BEING HANDED OFF TO APCH CTL, THE S/O PROPERLY FILLED OUT THE ATIS CARD AND PASSED IT UP TO US. THE ALTIMETER SETTING WAS 28.96 BUT WE SET 29.86 IN OUR ALTIMETERS. ON THE LOC APCH WE REALIZED THE ERROR AND EXECUTED A MISSED APCH AND THEN LANDED W/O INCIDENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE TURB, A BUSY APCH, USE OF A NON PRECISION APCH, AND A MUCH SLOWER ACFT IN FRONT OF US THAT WE WERE CONTINUOUSLY OVERTAKING. IN RECONSTRUCTING THE ACTUAL FLT PROFILE WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT NO MINIMUM ALTS WERE VIOLATED. THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUCH A MISTAKE IS OURS. HOWEVER, IN RETROSPECT, THE OCCURRENCE MAY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF EACH CTLR WERE TO CONFIRM ALTIMETER SETTINGS AS 'LOW' WHEN THEY ARE BELOW 29.00. NEITHER APCH CTLR ALERTED US TO LOW ALTIMETER SETTINGS.

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.