Flew 800' below assigned altitude because of wrong altimeter setting.

Attributes
ACN	171299
Time
Date	199102
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cvg
State Reference	OH
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude descent : approach ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 2700 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	171299
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

One of the major contributing factors was WX and being rushed to perform a maintenance test flight. It was an XX00 a.M. Report time, overnight cold front pushed through. The temperature for preflight was 2 degrees F with wind out of the west at 25 KTS, gusting to 40 KTS cold. After a hurried preflight, rushed to get ATIS clearance. While copying ATIS thought I heard 29.99--the actual altimeter was 29.19. Massive low pressure with massive winter storm. The error went unnoticed by captain and first officer during preflight taxi and takeoff. While being vectored to localizer (test flight was 1 trip around the patch), approach told us mode C 800' low. We then asked for current altimeter. If not for an alert approach controller, could have resulted in 2 possible fatalities. Main causes: cold (frozen) first officer copying ATIS, being rushed to do test flight to get to gate on time, and neither pilot x-chking altimeter against field elevation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLEW 800' BELOW ASSIGNED ALT BECAUSE OF WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING.

Narrative: ONE OF THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WAS WX AND BEING RUSHED TO PERFORM A MAINT TEST FLT. IT WAS AN XX00 A.M. RPT TIME, OVERNIGHT COLD FRONT PUSHED THROUGH. THE TEMP FOR PREFLT WAS 2 DEGS F WITH WIND OUT OF THE W AT 25 KTS, GUSTING TO 40 KTS COLD. AFTER A HURRIED PREFLT, RUSHED TO GET ATIS CLRNC. WHILE COPYING ATIS THOUGHT I HEARD 29.99--THE ACTUAL ALTIMETER WAS 29.19. MASSIVE LOW PRESSURE WITH MASSIVE WINTER STORM. THE ERROR WENT UNNOTICED BY CAPT AND F/O DURING PREFLT TAXI AND TKOF. WHILE BEING VECTORED TO LOC (TEST FLT WAS 1 TRIP AROUND THE PATCH), APCH TOLD US MODE C 800' LOW. WE THEN ASKED FOR CURRENT ALTIMETER. IF NOT FOR AN ALERT APCH CTLR, COULD HAVE RESULTED IN 2 POSSIBLE FATALITIES. MAIN CAUSES: COLD (FROZEN) F/O COPYING ATIS, BEING RUSHED TO DO TEST FLT TO GET TO GATE ON TIME, AND NEITHER PLT X-CHKING ALTIMETER AGAINST FIELD ELEVATION.

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.