Narrative:

Our flight was from slc to jfk. Early into the flight was lost the center hydraulic system. We took the appropriate action and continued. While referring to the on-board manuals, it was apparent that our minimums would be effected due to the loss of 2 autoplts. A short time after that, about midpoint in the flight, we advised our maintenance department of our problem. We were approximately over ord. The dispatcher was also on and told us jfk WX was w1000x1/4 1200 RVR, and that thunderstorms were in the ewr area. I confirmed that he was aware of our non radar situation, and we then discussed minimums and alternate plans. I then advised him I would call back for the next WX and asked him to advise us if it went below our minimums. Just before tol I called the company to get the next WX and was told it was not reported. I again talked to the dispatcher. We were now well into the descent, so I got the ATIS which as usual went on interminably. It told me everything except what I needed to know--specifically, the RVR. It gave runway 31R, which I didn't understand, since it is not a CAT ii runway and the last RVR I got was 1200'. Meanwhile, we were approaching the thundershower activity, so we turned on the radar to discover that the HSI portion was working, and that it was only the CRT display that was inoperative. It did, however, take a little time to determine its accuracy. I won't go into further details of system malfunctions, other than to state from this point we had spoiler, yaw damper, multiple autoplt and stabilizer trim failures or caution advisories. It was during this time I feel the error occurred. I thought that we were given an altimeter setting of 30.49 by center. My copilot felt certain that he'd heard 30.49 issued on initial contact with approach, and again after I had requested the latest WX due to my concern about minimums. I caught the discrepancy after approach or tower inquired about our altitude and provided an altimeter setting of 29.51 (apparently this was a change from 29.49) on final approach. From now on I will write down the ATIS altimeter setting and refer to it during the checklist response of 'xchk.' I will also brief my coplts to obtain this information independently, and verbally verify.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT MISSET ALTIMETER ON DESCENT.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS FROM SLC TO JFK. EARLY INTO THE FLT WAS LOST THE CENTER HYD SYS. WE TOOK THE APPROPRIATE ACTION AND CONTINUED. WHILE REFERRING TO THE ON-BOARD MANUALS, IT WAS APPARENT THAT OUR MINIMUMS WOULD BE EFFECTED DUE TO THE LOSS OF 2 AUTOPLTS. A SHORT TIME AFTER THAT, ABOUT MIDPOINT IN THE FLT, WE ADVISED OUR MAINT DEPT OF OUR PROB. WE WERE APPROX OVER ORD. THE DISPATCHER WAS ALSO ON AND TOLD US JFK WX WAS W1000X1/4 1200 RVR, AND THAT TSTMS WERE IN THE EWR AREA. I CONFIRMED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF OUR NON RADAR SITUATION, AND WE THEN DISCUSSED MINIMUMS AND ALTERNATE PLANS. I THEN ADVISED HIM I WOULD CALL BACK FOR THE NEXT WX AND ASKED HIM TO ADVISE US IF IT WENT BELOW OUR MINIMUMS. JUST BEFORE TOL I CALLED THE COMPANY TO GET THE NEXT WX AND WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT RPTED. I AGAIN TALKED TO THE DISPATCHER. WE WERE NOW WELL INTO THE DSNT, SO I GOT THE ATIS WHICH AS USUAL WENT ON INTERMINABLY. IT TOLD ME EVERYTHING EXCEPT WHAT I NEEDED TO KNOW--SPECIFICALLY, THE RVR. IT GAVE RWY 31R, WHICH I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, SINCE IT IS NOT A CAT II RWY AND THE LAST RVR I GOT WAS 1200'. MEANWHILE, WE WERE APCHING THE THUNDERSHOWER ACTIVITY, SO WE TURNED ON THE RADAR TO DISCOVER THAT THE HSI PORTION WAS WORKING, AND THAT IT WAS ONLY THE CRT DISPLAY THAT WAS INOP. IT DID, HOWEVER, TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO DETERMINE ITS ACCURACY. I WON'T GO INTO FURTHER DETAILS OF SYS MALFUNCTIONS, OTHER THAN TO STATE FROM THIS POINT WE HAD SPOILER, YAW DAMPER, MULTIPLE AUTOPLT AND STAB TRIM FAILURES OR CAUTION ADVISORIES. IT WAS DURING THIS TIME I FEEL THE ERROR OCCURRED. I THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GIVEN AN ALTIMETER SETTING OF 30.49 BY CENTER. MY COPLT FELT CERTAIN THAT HE'D HEARD 30.49 ISSUED ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH APCH, AND AGAIN AFTER I HAD REQUESTED THE LATEST WX DUE TO MY CONCERN ABOUT MINIMUMS. I CAUGHT THE DISCREPANCY AFTER APCH OR TWR INQUIRED ABOUT OUR ALT AND PROVIDED AN ALTIMETER SETTING OF 29.51 (APPARENTLY THIS WAS A CHANGE FROM 29.49) ON FINAL APCH. FROM NOW ON I WILL WRITE DOWN THE ATIS ALTIMETER SETTING AND REFER TO IT DURING THE CHKLIST RESPONSE OF 'XCHK.' I WILL ALSO BRIEF MY COPLTS TO OBTAIN THIS INFO INDEPENDENTLY, AND VERBALLY VERIFY.

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.