The atx pilot of an small transport misset his altimeter and climbed above his assigned altitude. An...

Attributes
ACN	361949
Time
Date	199702
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : osh
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude ground : preflight
Route In Use	enroute airway : zau
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 2050 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	361949
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On feb/mon/97, part 135 passenger flight, I was departing from atw en route with 1 passenger to dpa. Relatively new to this aircraft (30 hours) and new to part 135 operations (30 hours), I was still getting used to both. The aircraft hadn't flown in a few days and a high pressure system had moved in. The passenger was late and I was in a hurry to make up time to get him to the destination on time. After start-up, I listened to ATIS once through, and thought I heard the altimeter setting of 29.57. Before adjusting the altimeter, I noted it read (I thought) 1000 ft MSL, and since airport elevation is 917 ft, a small decrease in altimeter setting brought the kohlsman window to 29.57 and I thought it set the altimeter to 917 ft. Instead, the actual altimeter setting was 30.57, and I had set the altimeter approximately 100 ft below sea level. I thought about listening to the ATIS recording again to confirm the altimeter setting, but because of my rush and my too-brief check of the altimeter setting, I departed with an improper altitude readout. On climb out, I was told to climb to 5000 ft as an intermediate altitude on my way to 7000 ft, which I had filed for. I was on frequency with ZAU when I called at an indicated altitude of 4500 ft to ask for 5000 ft as a final altitude. ZAU responded by saying he showed me climbing through 5700 ft by then. (I showed 4700 ft due to my faulty altimeter setting). I immediately asked for the current oshkosh altimeter setting and leveled off. When center gave me 30.57 as a setting, I immediately realized my mistake and started a descent for 5000 ft from 5700 ft. I subsequently was asked by center what setting I had, and I replied '29.57' and apologized for the mistake. I was cleared back down to 5000 ft as a final. Center then indicated to me that it was a good thing we got straightened out because he had opposite direction traffic at 6000 ft nearby that might have become a factor. As it was, there were no deviations or traffic calls made to either my aircraft or the other at 6000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE ATX PLT OF AN SMT MISSET HIS ALTIMETER AND CLBED ABOVE HIS ASSIGNED ALT. AN ALERT ARTCC RADAR CTLR CALLED THIS TO THE PLT'S ATTN AND SUPPLIED THE CORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING. NO CONFLICT.

Narrative: ON FEB/MON/97, PART 135 PAX FLT, I WAS DEPARTING FROM ATW ENRTE WITH 1 PAX TO DPA. RELATIVELY NEW TO THIS ACFT (30 HRS) AND NEW TO PART 135 OPS (30 HRS), I WAS STILL GETTING USED TO BOTH. THE ACFT HADN'T FLOWN IN A FEW DAYS AND A HIGH PRESSURE SYS HAD MOVED IN. THE PAX WAS LATE AND I WAS IN A HURRY TO MAKE UP TIME TO GET HIM TO THE DEST ON TIME. AFTER START-UP, I LISTENED TO ATIS ONCE THROUGH, AND THOUGHT I HEARD THE ALTIMETER SETTING OF 29.57. BEFORE ADJUSTING THE ALTIMETER, I NOTED IT READ (I THOUGHT) 1000 FT MSL, AND SINCE ARPT ELEVATION IS 917 FT, A SMALL DECREASE IN ALTIMETER SETTING BROUGHT THE KOHLSMAN WINDOW TO 29.57 AND I THOUGHT IT SET THE ALTIMETER TO 917 FT. INSTEAD, THE ACTUAL ALTIMETER SETTING WAS 30.57, AND I HAD SET THE ALTIMETER APPROX 100 FT BELOW SEA LEVEL. I THOUGHT ABOUT LISTENING TO THE ATIS RECORDING AGAIN TO CONFIRM THE ALTIMETER SETTING, BUT BECAUSE OF MY RUSH AND MY TOO-BRIEF CHK OF THE ALTIMETER SETTING, I DEPARTED WITH AN IMPROPER ALT READOUT. ON CLBOUT, I WAS TOLD TO CLB TO 5000 FT AS AN INTERMEDIATE ALT ON MY WAY TO 7000 FT, WHICH I HAD FILED FOR. I WAS ON FREQ WITH ZAU WHEN I CALLED AT AN INDICATED ALT OF 4500 FT TO ASK FOR 5000 FT AS A FINAL ALT. ZAU RESPONDED BY SAYING HE SHOWED ME CLBING THROUGH 5700 FT BY THEN. (I SHOWED 4700 FT DUE TO MY FAULTY ALTIMETER SETTING). I IMMEDIATELY ASKED FOR THE CURRENT OSHKOSH ALTIMETER SETTING AND LEVELED OFF. WHEN CTR GAVE ME 30.57 AS A SETTING, I IMMEDIATELY REALIZED MY MISTAKE AND STARTED A DSCNT FOR 5000 FT FROM 5700 FT. I SUBSEQUENTLY WAS ASKED BY CTR WHAT SETTING I HAD, AND I REPLIED '29.57' AND APOLOGIZED FOR THE MISTAKE. I WAS CLRED BACK DOWN TO 5000 FT AS A FINAL. CTR THEN INDICATED TO ME THAT IT WAS A GOOD THING WE GOT STRAIGHTENED OUT BECAUSE HE HAD OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC AT 6000 FT NEARBY THAT MIGHT HAVE BECOME A FACTOR. AS IT WAS, THERE WERE NO DEVS OR TFC CALLS MADE TO EITHER MY ACFT OR THE OTHER AT 6000 FT.

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.

The atx pilot of an small transport misset his altimeter and climbed above his assigned altitude. An alert ARTCC radar controller called this to the pilot's attention and supplied the correct altimeter setting. No conflict.