Wrong altitude setting results in altitude deviation altitude crossing restriction not met on IAP IL...

Attributes
ACN	206565
Time
Date	199203
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cdg
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cdg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	206565
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On approach to cdg, tried to get the altimeter from ATIS 5 times with no success due to french accent and language barrier. Finally, after 3 runway changes and a holding pattern we asked controller for altimeter. He gave us 984. I set 984 hectopascals and the captain set 29.84 inches. When leveling off at GS intercept altitude I noticed discrepancy in our altimeters. I told captain and the lca and they said it was '29.84.' I said no. They said yes. I said are you sure? They said yes. I figured I must have missed something since I was flying. So I set 29.84 inches. We were very busy at this time and ATC was very busy. No chance to verify. We were VFR and made the approach. The altimeter should have been hectopascal which resulted in an altitude error. It turns out that the ATIS was giving 2 altimeter settings, QFE and qnh. Even with an extra crew member, an lca, we could not get the setting and the captain was confused on what to use. The next day we departed cdg with a transition altitude of 4000 ft. We were extremely busy and did not change our altimeter setting until approaching 7000 ft which was our level off altitude. My point is this: since altimetry procedures are so important for separation, there should be a 'standard' procedure for the on time world. We must get agreement on this. A pilot cannot be expected to do something a certain way for 10-20 years on 10-20000 hours and then all of a sudden change a 'habit' that has been ingrained. This is especially difficult because of the language barriers. Also, this can happen at very busy, complex times such as approach and departure. We had the benefit of an extra crew member and barely salvaged the situation. With only 2 crew members at the end of an 11 hour flight, in a foreign country, very busy and very tired, the altimeter setting procedure should be automatic and reflexive. We can change to their way or they can change to ours, but it must be standard.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG ALT SETTING RESULTS IN ALTDEV ALT XING RESTRICTION NOT MET ON IAP ILS APCH. RPTR COMPLAINS OF LANGUAGE BARRIER AND FREQ CONGESTION IN THIS ALTIMETER SETTING PROBLEM AND NON STANDARDIZATION OF PROC.

Narrative: ON APCH TO CDG, TRIED TO GET THE ALTIMETER FROM ATIS 5 TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS DUE TO FRENCH ACCENT AND LANGUAGE BARRIER. FINALLY, AFTER 3 RWY CHANGES AND A HOLDING PATTERN WE ASKED CTLR FOR ALTIMETER. HE GAVE US 984. I SET 984 HECTOPASCALS AND THE CAPT SET 29.84 INCHES. WHEN LEVELING OFF AT GS INTERCEPT ALT I NOTICED DISCREPANCY IN OUR ALTIMETERS. I TOLD CAPT AND THE LCA AND THEY SAID IT WAS '29.84.' I SAID NO. THEY SAID YES. I SAID ARE YOU SURE? THEY SAID YES. I FIGURED I MUST HAVE MISSED SOMETHING SINCE I WAS FLYING. SO I SET 29.84 INCHES. WE WERE VERY BUSY AT THIS TIME AND ATC WAS VERY BUSY. NO CHANCE TO VERIFY. WE WERE VFR AND MADE THE APCH. THE ALTIMETER SHOULD HAVE BEEN HECTOPASCAL WHICH RESULTED IN AN ALT ERROR. IT TURNS OUT THAT THE ATIS WAS GIVING 2 ALTIMETER SETTINGS, QFE AND QNH. EVEN WITH AN EXTRA CREW MEMBER, AN LCA, WE COULD NOT GET THE SETTING AND THE CAPT WAS CONFUSED ON WHAT TO USE. THE NEXT DAY WE DEPARTED CDG WITH A TRANSITION ALT OF 4000 FT. WE WERE EXTREMELY BUSY AND DID NOT CHANGE OUR ALTIMETER SETTING UNTIL APCHING 7000 FT WHICH WAS OUR LEVEL OFF ALT. MY POINT IS THIS: SINCE ALTIMETRY PROCS ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR SEPARATION, THERE SHOULD BE A 'STANDARD' PROC FOR THE ON TIME WORLD. WE MUST GET AGREEMENT ON THIS. A PLT CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO DO SOMETHING A CERTAIN WAY FOR 10-20 YEARS ON 10-20000 HRS AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN CHANGE A 'HABIT' THAT HAS BEEN INGRAINED. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE LANGUAGE BARRIERS. ALSO, THIS CAN HAPPEN AT VERY BUSY, COMPLEX TIMES SUCH AS APCH AND DEP. WE HAD THE BENEFIT OF AN EXTRA CREW MEMBER AND BARELY SALVAGED THE SITUATION. WITH ONLY 2 CREW MEMBERS AT THE END OF AN 11 HR FLT, IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, VERY BUSY AND VERY TIRED, THE ALTIMETER SETTING PROC SHOULD BE AUTOMATIC AND REFLEXIVE. WE CAN CHANGE TO THEIR WAY OR THEY CAN CHANGE TO OURS, BUT IT MUST BE STANDARD.

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.

Wrong altitude setting results in altitude deviation altitude crossing restriction not met on IAP ILS approach. Reporter complains of language barrier and frequency congestion in this altimeter setting problem and non standardization of procedure.