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Air carrier medium large transport flight crew leveled off at the wrong altitude due to inadvertently setting the wrong altimeter setting during changeover at FL180 during descent.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 204746 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199203 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : buf |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : tcl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : buf |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 204746 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7000 |
| ASRS Report | 204612 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We had descended to 22000 ft on our way to buf. Center gave us a crossing restriction to 'cross 30 south of buf at 11000 ft. Altimeter 30.51.' the first officer read back the crossing restriction including the altimeter setting. The setting seemed high, but I had planned to verify it with ATIS. When we descended below FL180 I listened for the ATIS, it was off the air being updated. We were switched to buf approach and I checked in level at 11000 ft. Approach questioned our altitude saying he showed we were at 10000 ft. He gave us the altimeter setting but it seems that it was 29.74?? I'm not sure, but there was a large difference. We reset our altimeters and continued to buf. The WX on this day was affected by a very powerful cold front, and we had experienced large changes in pressure everywhere we had flown. I am sure this is not the first time either a controller gave a wrong altimeter setting or a pilot misunderstood, read it back and the controller missed it. Both the first officer and I remember reading it back clearly. 1 simple solution would be to allow the current ATIS to broadcast until the new ATIS is ready to replace it.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR MLG FLC LEVELED OFF AT THE WRONG ALT DUE TO INADVERTENTLY SETTING THE WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING DURING CHANGEOVER AT FL180 DURING DSCNT.
Narrative: WE HAD DSNDED TO 22000 FT ON OUR WAY TO BUF. CTR GAVE US A XING RESTRICTION TO 'CROSS 30 S OF BUF AT 11000 FT. ALTIMETER 30.51.' THE FO READ BACK THE XING RESTRICTION INCLUDING THE ALTIMETER SETTING. THE SETTING SEEMED HIGH, BUT I HAD PLANNED TO VERIFY IT WITH ATIS. WHEN WE DSNDED BELOW FL180 I LISTENED FOR THE ATIS, IT WAS OFF THE AIR BEING UPDATED. WE WERE SWITCHED TO BUF APCH AND I CHKED IN LEVEL AT 11000 FT. APCH QUESTIONED OUR ALT SAYING HE SHOWED WE WERE AT 10000 FT. HE GAVE US THE ALTIMETER SETTING BUT IT SEEMS THAT IT WAS 29.74?? I'M NOT SURE, BUT THERE WAS A LARGE DIFFERENCE. WE RESET OUR ALTIMETERS AND CONTINUED TO BUF. THE WX ON THIS DAY WAS AFFECTED BY A VERY POWERFUL COLD FRONT, AND WE HAD EXPERIENCED LARGE CHANGES IN PRESSURE EVERYWHERE WE HAD FLOWN. I AM SURE THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME EITHER A CTLR GAVE A WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING OR A PLT MISUNDERSTOOD, READ IT BACK AND THE CTLR MISSED IT. BOTH THE FO AND I REMEMBER READING IT BACK CLRLY. 1 SIMPLE SOLUTION WOULD BE TO ALLOW THE CURRENT ATIS TO BROADCAST UNTIL THE NEW ATIS IS READY TO REPLACE IT.
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.