Wrong altimeter setting.

Attributes
ACN	274063
Time
Date	199406
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : flg
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18700 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab tower : apa
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zab
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	274063
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was cleared pilots discretion out of cruise flight level to 14000 ft. In descent reset altimeter from 29.92 to current altimeter as assigned by ZAB (but did this before reaching 18000 ft). Approaching FL190 was asked to stop descent and maintain FL190. Did so, but actual altitude was 300 ft lower than indicated, so actual level off was 18700. Corrective action: don't change altimeter setting during descent until going through 18000 ft. If ATC gives a descent clearance which includes the local altimeter setting and then changes the clearance to a flight level altitude, perhaps it would make sense to cancel the local altimeter setting as well.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED PLTS DISCRETION OUT OF CRUISE FLT LEVEL TO 14000 FT. IN DSCNT RESET ALTIMETER FROM 29.92 TO CURRENT ALTIMETER AS ASSIGNED BY ZAB (BUT DID THIS BEFORE REACHING 18000 FT). APCHING FL190 WAS ASKED TO STOP DSCNT AND MAINTAIN FL190. DID SO, BUT ACTUAL ALT WAS 300 FT LOWER THAN INDICATED, SO ACTUAL LEVEL OFF WAS 18700. CORRECTIVE ACTION: DON'T CHANGE ALTIMETER SETTING DURING DSCNT UNTIL GOING THROUGH 18000 FT. IF ATC GIVES A DSCNT CLRNC WHICH INCLUDES THE LCL ALTIMETER SETTING AND THEN CHANGES THE CLRNC TO A FLT LEVEL ALT, PERHAPS IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO CANCEL THE LCL ALTIMETER SETTING AS WELL.

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.