Narrative:

I was calling out checklist items and the captain was calling out the responses. Because my attention was not on the altimeter setting, I set '.44' in my altimeter for 29.44 with the usual small turning movement of the knob. With the previous setting of 30.47, I had moved it to 30.44 - 1000 ft high. After a quick glance at the altimeter, it appeared to be close, although something seemed wrong. The takeoff was normal and we received a quick handoff to departure. I called departure and reported 'out of 2000 for 3000 ft.' the altitude went unchallenged by departure and we were cleared to climb to our cruising altitude of 13000. I felt something again was wrong with the initial 'fast' climb, but disregarded it because departure did not challenge the altitude and the captain's altitude matched mine. We were then handed off to center and everything appeared to be all right. After the captain established cruise at 13000, I switched to our destination airport's ATIS while the captain stayed with center. The ATIS was breaking up, but after a few tries I had the numbers and noted '29.45.' I switched quickly back to inform the captain of the setting and heard center giving us the correct setting. We then climbed from 12000 to 13000 and completed the rest of the flight without any difficulties. I am not pleased with my performance in this event, but I do feel this 30 minute flight was quite a learning experience. First, every item must be checked before takeoff -- with all the instruments looking 'normal'. Any flight should not leave the ground unless 100 percent attention has been given to every item and into all discrepancies. Second, even after being aware of complacency through articles and ground schools, it can still happen. Supplemental information from acn 262398: the first mistake I made was to take a non-flying work related situation into the cockpit with me. I was not paying attention to the ATIS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR SMT FLEW WITH THE WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING.

Narrative: I WAS CALLING OUT CHKLIST ITEMS AND THE CAPT WAS CALLING OUT THE RESPONSES. BECAUSE MY ATTN WAS NOT ON THE ALTIMETER SETTING, I SET '.44' IN MY ALTIMETER FOR 29.44 WITH THE USUAL SMALL TURNING MOVEMENT OF THE KNOB. WITH THE PREVIOUS SETTING OF 30.47, I HAD MOVED IT TO 30.44 - 1000 FT HIGH. AFTER A QUICK GLANCE AT THE ALTIMETER, IT APPEARED TO BE CLOSE, ALTHOUGH SOMETHING SEEMED WRONG. THE TKOF WAS NORMAL AND WE RECEIVED A QUICK HDOF TO DEP. I CALLED DEP AND RPTED 'OUT OF 2000 FOR 3000 FT.' THE ALT WENT UNCHALLENGED BY DEP AND WE WERE CLRED TO CLB TO OUR CRUISING ALT OF 13000. I FELT SOMETHING AGAIN WAS WRONG WITH THE INITIAL 'FAST' CLB, BUT DISREGARDED IT BECAUSE DEP DID NOT CHALLENGE THE ALT AND THE CAPT'S ALT MATCHED MINE. WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF TO CTR AND EVERYTHING APPEARED TO BE ALL RIGHT. AFTER THE CAPT ESTABLISHED CRUISE AT 13000, I SWITCHED TO OUR DEST ARPT'S ATIS WHILE THE CAPT STAYED WITH CTR. THE ATIS WAS BREAKING UP, BUT AFTER A FEW TRIES I HAD THE NUMBERS AND NOTED '29.45.' I SWITCHED QUICKLY BACK TO INFORM THE CAPT OF THE SETTING AND HEARD CTR GIVING US THE CORRECT SETTING. WE THEN CLBED FROM 12000 TO 13000 AND COMPLETED THE REST OF THE FLT WITHOUT ANY DIFFICULTIES. I AM NOT PLEASED WITH MY PERFORMANCE IN THIS EVENT, BUT I DO FEEL THIS 30 MINUTE FLT WAS QUITE A LEARNING EXPERIENCE. FIRST, EVERY ITEM MUST BE CHKED BEFORE TKOF -- WITH ALL THE INSTS LOOKING 'NORMAL'. ANY FLT SHOULD NOT LEAVE THE GND UNLESS 100 PERCENT ATTN HAS BEEN GIVEN TO EVERY ITEM AND INTO ALL DISCREPANCIES. SECOND, EVEN AFTER BEING AWARE OF COMPLACENCY THROUGH ARTICLES AND GND SCHOOLS, IT CAN STILL HAPPEN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 262398: THE FIRST MISTAKE I MADE WAS TO TAKE A NON-FLYING WORK RELATED SIT INTO THE COCKPIT WITH ME. I WAS NOT PAYING ATTN TO THE ATIS.

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.