Narrative:

First officer was descending to 7000 ft while being vectored for approach. We observed a target on our TCASII at 12 O'clock, converging and climbing. When we leveled off at 7000 ft, our TCASII showed the other aircraft at approximately 3 mi, 900 ft below us and climbing. Our advisory became an alert with a climb resolution. We initiated a climb and when we reached 7400 ft our TCASII advised clear of conflict. Approach was advised of our deviation and reason for same. Approach said his data showed we were at 6700 ft when we initiated our climb and other aircraft was climbing to 6000 ft but leveled off at 6200 ft. Approach then gave us the current altimeter setting of 29.56. I (as PNF) had copied the ATIS and written the altimeter setting as 29.95. (If the altimeter was actually 29.56, that would have caused us to be 400 ft below our assigned altitude of 7000 ft.) I attempted to listen to the ATIS again, but cle was in the process of changing it, so I could not verify whether I had misunderstood the altimeter setting or whether it had been given wrong on the ATIS. There were a number of navaids OTS (DME from a VOR used for a transition intersection from ZOB to cle approach, OM for ILS in use) and controllers were very busy. We were never given the current altimeter by either ZOB or cle approach. Perhaps such a conflict could be precluded by: having center controller give current altimeter for his/her area when aircraft checks on frequency. Having approach controller give local altimeter setting when aircraft checks on. Having pilots insist on verbally obtaining local altimeter setting if it is not given by controller.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG CLBED ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT DUE TO A TCASII RA AND A WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING.

Narrative: FO WAS DSNDING TO 7000 FT WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR APCH. WE OBSERVED A TARGET ON OUR TCASII AT 12 O'CLOCK, CONVERGING AND CLBING. WHEN WE LEVELED OFF AT 7000 FT, OUR TCASII SHOWED THE OTHER ACFT AT APPROX 3 MI, 900 FT BELOW US AND CLBING. OUR ADVISORY BECAME AN ALERT WITH A CLB RESOLUTION. WE INITIATED A CLB AND WHEN WE REACHED 7400 FT OUR TCASII ADVISED CLR OF CONFLICT. APCH WAS ADVISED OF OUR DEV AND REASON FOR SAME. APCH SAID HIS DATA SHOWED WE WERE AT 6700 FT WHEN WE INITIATED OUR CLB AND OTHER ACFT WAS CLBING TO 6000 FT BUT LEVELED OFF AT 6200 FT. APCH THEN GAVE US THE CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING OF 29.56. I (AS PNF) HAD COPIED THE ATIS AND WRITTEN THE ALTIMETER SETTING AS 29.95. (IF THE ALTIMETER WAS ACTUALLY 29.56, THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED US TO BE 400 FT BELOW OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 7000 FT.) I ATTEMPTED TO LISTEN TO THE ATIS AGAIN, BUT CLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING IT, SO I COULD NOT VERIFY WHETHER I HAD MISUNDERSTOOD THE ALTIMETER SETTING OR WHETHER IT HAD BEEN GIVEN WRONG ON THE ATIS. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF NAVAIDS OTS (DME FROM A VOR USED FOR A TRANSITION INTXN FROM ZOB TO CLE APCH, OM FOR ILS IN USE) AND CTLRS WERE VERY BUSY. WE WERE NEVER GIVEN THE CURRENT ALTIMETER BY EITHER ZOB OR CLE APCH. PERHAPS SUCH A CONFLICT COULD BE PRECLUDED BY: HAVING CTR CTLR GIVE CURRENT ALTIMETER FOR HIS/HER AREA WHEN ACFT CHKS ON FREQ. HAVING APCH CTLR GIVE LCL ALTIMETER SETTING WHEN ACFT CHKS ON. HAVING PLTS INSIST ON VERBALLY OBTAINING LCL ALTIMETER SETTING IF IT IS NOT GIVEN BY CTLR.

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.