Narrative:

Descent through assigned altitude of 10000' with improperly set altimeter. While inbound to stl from southeast descended to and xed burke intersection at 9000' and instead of assigned altitude of 10000'. We were given 'step' dscnts of 290, 280, 260, then 240. By the time we were cleared from 24000' to cross burke at 10000' we were really tight and had to use spoilers to make crossing. During descent I set my altimeter to 30.42, correct altimeter setting was 29.42 producing a 1000' error. Upon leveling we were at 9000' instead of 10000'. Aircraft being flown was medium large transport digital flight guidance system was on 20R. First officer side with altitude on xpt off first officer side. We were changed over to stl approach about 10 mi outside of burke intersection. Approach controller asked our altitude and I said 10000'. He then asked our altimeter setting which showed error. I immediately started a climb to the correct 10000' as I also reset my altimeter to 29.42. 3 ATIS changes during close in descent and entry into TCA. 'As we descended and leveled during frequency change to approach now.' east controller did not tell us of changes. Captain had to leave frequency to get east. Later before landing F was current out of 18000'. We both started and went through descent and approach checklists but were both performing separately as captain had trouble and delays with inrange calls to company and gate assignment problems. Requiring much of his attention. Not having time to complete checklist together and catch my error. In IMC and high glare in cockpit I misread my ATIS notes going for the more normal 30.42. Further contributing factors. Total sleep the night before less than 4 hours. Found myself waking several times trying to get heat. Not being able to get back to sleep worrying about the very survival of company working under threats of management selling off. Closing of 'doors' we are all under extreme stress of possible job loss. Also my ears were 'plugged' up indicating oncoming cold. All things together flying exhausted, company leads through intimidation and threatens of termination for calling in sick.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT DURING DESCENT BECAUSE FO SET ALT 1' OFF ACTUAL QNH.

Narrative: DSNT THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT OF 10000' WITH IMPROPERLY SET ALTIMETER. WHILE INBND TO STL FROM SE DSNDED TO AND XED BURKE INTXN AT 9000' AND INSTEAD OF ASSIGNED ALT OF 10000'. WE WERE GIVEN 'STEP' DSCNTS OF 290, 280, 260, THEN 240. BY THE TIME WE WERE CLRED FROM 24000' TO CROSS BURKE AT 10000' WE WERE REALLY TIGHT AND HAD TO USE SPOILERS TO MAKE XING. DURING DSNT I SET MY ALTIMETER TO 30.42, CORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING WAS 29.42 PRODUCING A 1000' ERROR. UPON LEVELING WE WERE AT 9000' INSTEAD OF 10000'. ACFT BEING FLOWN WAS MLG DIGITAL FLT GUIDANCE SYS WAS ON 20R. F/O SIDE WITH ALT ON XPT OFF F/O SIDE. WE WERE CHANGED OVER TO STL APCH ABOUT 10 MI OUTSIDE OF BURKE INTXN. APCH CTLR ASKED OUR ALT AND I SAID 10000'. HE THEN ASKED OUR ALTIMETER SETTING WHICH SHOWED ERROR. I IMMEDIATELY STARTED A CLB TO THE CORRECT 10000' AS I ALSO RESET MY ALTIMETER TO 29.42. 3 ATIS CHANGES DURING CLOSE IN DSNT AND ENTRY INTO TCA. 'AS WE DSNDED AND LEVELED DURING FREQ CHANGE TO APCH NOW.' E CTLR DID NOT TELL US OF CHANGES. CAPT HAD TO LEAVE FREQ TO GET E. LATER BEFORE LNDG F WAS CURRENT OUT OF 18000'. WE BOTH STARTED AND WENT THROUGH DSNT AND APCH CHKLISTS BUT WERE BOTH PERFORMING SEPARATELY AS CAPT HAD TROUBLE AND DELAYS WITH INRANGE CALLS TO COMPANY AND GATE ASSIGNMENT PROBS. REQUIRING MUCH OF HIS ATTN. NOT HAVING TIME TO COMPLETE CHKLIST TOGETHER AND CATCH MY ERROR. IN IMC AND HIGH GLARE IN COCKPIT I MISREAD MY ATIS NOTES GOING FOR THE MORE NORMAL 30.42. FURTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. TOTAL SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE LESS THAN 4 HRS. FOUND MYSELF WAKING SEVERAL TIMES TRYING TO GET HEAT. NOT BEING ABLE TO GET BACK TO SLEEP WORRYING ABOUT THE VERY SURVIVAL OF COMPANY WORKING UNDER THREATS OF MGMNT SELLING OFF. CLOSING OF 'DOORS' WE ARE ALL UNDER EXTREME STRESS OF POSSIBLE JOB LOSS. ALSO MY EARS WERE 'PLUGGED' UP INDICATING ONCOMING COLD. ALL THINGS TOGETHER FLYING EXHAUSTED, COMPANY LEADS THROUGH INTIMIDATION AND THREATENS OF TERMINATION FOR CALLING IN SICK.

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.