Narrative:

I had departed bowman field VFR with a clearance through class C airspace (sdf) en route to glasgow, ky. Prior to departure, I tuned for bowman ATIS, but it was off the air. While performing pre taxi operations, I neglected to set the altimeter. A front had passed through the area, and the altimeter setting had changed dramatically since my last flight. After initial vectors from sdf approach, I was cleared to my requested cruising altitude of 6500 ft. I leveled off at 6500 ft indicated MSL. Shortly thereafter the controller advised me that I was indicating on radar mode C as level at 7000 ft MSL. I immediately realized what had happened, and advised the controller that I was indicating 6500 ft, but would descend 500 ft. The controller responded with the current sdf altimeter setting. As I adjusted my altimeter, the indicated altitude increased to 7000 ft MSL. I descended immediately to 6500 ft MSL. This incident was caused by my high level of stress due to delay in my departure time, and the fact that I was late. Even so, I would have adjusted my altimeter before takeoff, had the ATIS been working. My normal sequence of pre taxi operations was disrupted by the absence of ATIS, and my haste to depart resulted in my failure to request the altimeter setting from ground control. Fortunately, there was no conflict with another aircraft. I could have prevented this situation by referring to my checklist, and not depending on my memory and the ATIS broadcast.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE35 PLT TOOK OFF WITH THE WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING AND THEN CLBED ABOVE HIS ASSIGNED ALT. THE ALERT APCH CTLR GAVE HIM THE CORRECT SETTING.

Narrative: I HAD DEPARTED BOWMAN FIELD VFR WITH A CLRNC THROUGH CLASS C AIRSPACE (SDF) ENRTE TO GLASGOW, KY. PRIOR TO DEP, I TUNED FOR BOWMAN ATIS, BUT IT WAS OFF THE AIR. WHILE PERFORMING PRE TAXI OPS, I NEGLECTED TO SET THE ALTIMETER. A FRONT HAD PASSED THROUGH THE AREA, AND THE ALTIMETER SETTING HAD CHANGED DRAMATICALLY SINCE MY LAST FLT. AFTER INITIAL VECTORS FROM SDF APCH, I WAS CLRED TO MY REQUESTED CRUISING ALT OF 6500 FT. I LEVELED OFF AT 6500 FT INDICATED MSL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE CTLR ADVISED ME THAT I WAS INDICATING ON RADAR MODE C AS LEVEL AT 7000 FT MSL. I IMMEDIATELY REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND ADVISED THE CTLR THAT I WAS INDICATING 6500 FT, BUT WOULD DSND 500 FT. THE CTLR RESPONDED WITH THE CURRENT SDF ALTIMETER SETTING. AS I ADJUSTED MY ALTIMETER, THE INDICATED ALT INCREASED TO 7000 FT MSL. I DSNDED IMMEDIATELY TO 6500 FT MSL. THIS INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY MY HIGH LEVEL OF STRESS DUE TO DELAY IN MY DEP TIME, AND THE FACT THAT I WAS LATE. EVEN SO, I WOULD HAVE ADJUSTED MY ALTIMETER BEFORE TKOF, HAD THE ATIS BEEN WORKING. MY NORMAL SEQUENCE OF PRE TAXI OPS WAS DISRUPTED BY THE ABSENCE OF ATIS, AND MY HASTE TO DEPART RESULTED IN MY FAILURE TO REQUEST THE ALTIMETER SETTING FROM GND CTL. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT. I COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS SIT BY REFERRING TO MY CHKLIST, AND NOT DEPENDING ON MY MEMORY AND THE ATIS BROADCAST.

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.