Private pilot of a small aircraft sel during a VFR approach to land at uncontrolled airport is lower...

Attributes
ACN	277748
Time
Date	199407
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : s03
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 11 flight time total : 289 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	277748
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

VFR flight from pad to S03 (ashland municipal). Obtained altimeter setting from unicom while 5 plus mi out. Crossed field outbound on 90 degrees at (what I believed was) 1000 ft above traffic pattern altitude (2894 MSL is tpa). While descending to tpa transitioning to a 45 degree path to downwind for runway 30 I realized that aircraft appeared too low over town of ashland and the apparent altitude was in conflict with the altimeter reading. I applied full power to climb to an altitude which looked to me like 1000 ft AGL and completed the landing. On landing altimeter showed above 200 plus ft above filed elevation. Either the altimeter setting obtained from unicom was incorrect or I set the altimeter incorrectly. I should have recognized the low altitude situation sooner but the confusion caused by the altimeter caused me to delay action beyond what I should have tolerated visually. It won't happen again. When my eyes tell me I'm too low, I will disregard the altimeter. A further contribution was the small number of hours flown in the last 10-11 months. 1.2 hours in december and 9.4 in july. This was my first flight in 11 months in a cessna 182. I also should have questioned the ashland altimeter setting as it resulted in a large change from that used en route (based on ATIS xmissions of airport along course).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF A SMA SEL DURING A VFR APCH TO LAND AT UNCTLED ARPT IS LOWER THAN TFC PATTERN DUE TO AN ERRONEOUS SETTING OF ALTIMETER.

Narrative: VFR FLT FROM PAD TO S03 (ASHLAND MUNI). OBTAINED ALTIMETER SETTING FROM UNICOM WHILE 5 PLUS MI OUT. CROSSED FIELD OUTBOUND ON 90 DEGS AT (WHAT I BELIEVED WAS) 1000 FT ABOVE TFC PATTERN ALT (2894 MSL IS TPA). WHILE DSNDING TO TPA TRANSITIONING TO A 45 DEG PATH TO DOWNWIND FOR RWY 30 I REALIZED THAT ACFT APPEARED TOO LOW OVER TOWN OF ASHLAND AND THE APPARENT ALT WAS IN CONFLICT WITH THE ALTIMETER READING. I APPLIED FULL PWR TO CLB TO AN ALT WHICH LOOKED TO ME LIKE 1000 FT AGL AND COMPLETED THE LNDG. ON LNDG ALTIMETER SHOWED ABOVE 200 PLUS FT ABOVE FILED ELEVATION. EITHER THE ALTIMETER SETTING OBTAINED FROM UNICOM WAS INCORRECT OR I SET THE ALTIMETER INCORRECTLY. I SHOULD HAVE RECOGNIZED THE LOW ALT SIT SOONER BUT THE CONFUSION CAUSED BY THE ALTIMETER CAUSED ME TO DELAY ACTION BEYOND WHAT I SHOULD HAVE TOLERATED VISUALLY. IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. WHEN MY EYES TELL ME I'M TOO LOW, I WILL DISREGARD THE ALTIMETER. A FURTHER CONTRIBUTION WAS THE SMALL NUMBER OF HRS FLOWN IN THE LAST 10-11 MONTHS. 1.2 HRS IN DECEMBER AND 9.4 IN JULY. THIS WAS MY FIRST FLT IN 11 MONTHS IN A CESSNA 182. I ALSO SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE ASHLAND ALTIMETER SETTING AS IT RESULTED IN A LARGE CHANGE FROM THAT USED ENRTE (BASED ON ATIS XMISSIONS OF ARPT ALONG COURSE).

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.

Private pilot of a small aircraft sel during a VFR approach to land at uncontrolled airport is lower than traffic pattern due to an erroneous setting of altimeter.