Pilot of C172 on photo mission neglects to set altimeter prior to departure. He subsequently enters ...

Attributes
ACN	386142
Time
Date	199711
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pdk
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 3200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : wdr tower : pdk
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	386142
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Took off from home airport VFR in a hurry for photo flight. Did a good preflight outside but failed to preflight altitude based on field elevation. Flew photo flight around dobbins, southeast 4 mi coordination with tower. No problem. Continued to 2 more sites in area then to pdk. Called pdk 124.1. Heard continue to cross southwest of field to point southeast for photos and no traffic. Noting traffic well below on final I quizzed the controller and he assured me none. After I stated it was on final for runway 20 he said this is winder. I immediately switched to 120.9 which is pdk and called for photo work approval. They advised hold southeast. After approximately 20 maybe 25 mins I was cleared to proceed to photo point just west of runway 2L and was asked did I fly through final. I said no. There was no problem stated at this time. While holding I observed 2 aircraft go under me and pdk advised unident traffic to aircraft on approach. 1 aircraft proceeded northwest, the other nebound. I completed photos here and northwest of pdk, with no problem. Pdk's female controller did excellent job entire time. Upon arrival at destination, I found altitude in error approximately 600 ft. Mistake 1) I was talking to wrong tower. Mistake 2) very rushed and improper cockpit check, not verifying altitude settings. Most important 3) very aggravated and not in frame of mind to fly or drive, due to personal and work problems. Embarrassed due to my time, experience and ratings. ATP, commercial, aircraft single engine land and sea, glider fi, CFI, ifi and chief instructor for a flight school. Retired air carrier 31 yrs and all flying in atl area since 1952. I obviously didn't practice what I preach and as embarrassed as I am I will use this example in my safety talks. I talked to the controller later this day about what happened. Corrective action -- not fly or drive with mind not clear. I personally will put more emphasis on mental outlook on safety talks, and training.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C172 ON PHOTO MISSION NEGLECTS TO SET ALTIMETER PRIOR TO DEP. HE SUBSEQUENTLY ENTERS WRONG ARPT AIRSPACE. SWITCHING FREQS HE CONTACTS CORRECT TWR. AT DEST HE NOTICES A 600 FT DISCREPANCY IN HIS ALT SETTING.

Narrative: TOOK OFF FROM HOME ARPT VFR IN A HURRY FOR PHOTO FLT. DID A GOOD PREFLT OUTSIDE BUT FAILED TO PREFLT ALT BASED ON FIELD ELEVATION. FLEW PHOTO FLT AROUND DOBBINS, SE 4 MI COORD WITH TWR. NO PROB. CONTINUED TO 2 MORE SITES IN AREA THEN TO PDK. CALLED PDK 124.1. HEARD CONTINUE TO CROSS SW OF FIELD TO POINT SE FOR PHOTOS AND NO TFC. NOTING TFC WELL BELOW ON FINAL I QUIZZED THE CTLR AND HE ASSURED ME NONE. AFTER I STATED IT WAS ON FINAL FOR RWY 20 HE SAID THIS IS WINDER. I IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED TO 120.9 WHICH IS PDK AND CALLED FOR PHOTO WORK APPROVAL. THEY ADVISED HOLD SE. AFTER APPROX 20 MAYBE 25 MINS I WAS CLRED TO PROCEED TO PHOTO POINT JUST W OF RWY 2L AND WAS ASKED DID I FLY THROUGH FINAL. I SAID NO. THERE WAS NO PROB STATED AT THIS TIME. WHILE HOLDING I OBSERVED 2 ACFT GO UNDER ME AND PDK ADVISED UNIDENT TFC TO ACFT ON APCH. 1 ACFT PROCEEDED NW, THE OTHER NEBOUND. I COMPLETED PHOTOS HERE AND NW OF PDK, WITH NO PROB. PDK'S FEMALE CTLR DID EXCELLENT JOB ENTIRE TIME. UPON ARR AT DEST, I FOUND ALT IN ERROR APPROX 600 FT. MISTAKE 1) I WAS TALKING TO WRONG TWR. MISTAKE 2) VERY RUSHED AND IMPROPER COCKPIT CHK, NOT VERIFYING ALT SETTINGS. MOST IMPORTANT 3) VERY AGGRAVATED AND NOT IN FRAME OF MIND TO FLY OR DRIVE, DUE TO PERSONAL AND WORK PROBS. EMBARRASSED DUE TO MY TIME, EXPERIENCE AND RATINGS. ATP, COMMERCIAL, ACFT SINGLE ENG LAND AND SEA, GLIDER FI, CFI, IFI AND CHIEF INSTRUCTOR FOR A FLT SCHOOL. RETIRED ACR 31 YRS AND ALL FLYING IN ATL AREA SINCE 1952. I OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T PRACTICE WHAT I PREACH AND AS EMBARRASSED AS I AM I WILL USE THIS EXAMPLE IN MY SAFETY TALKS. I TALKED TO THE CTLR LATER THIS DAY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. CORRECTIVE ACTION -- NOT FLY OR DRIVE WITH MIND NOT CLR. I PERSONALLY WILL PUT MORE EMPHASIS ON MENTAL OUTLOOK ON SAFETY TALKS, AND TRAINING.

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.

Pilot of C172 on photo mission neglects to set altimeter prior to departure. He subsequently enters wrong airport airspace. Switching frequencys he contacts correct tower. At destination he notices a 600 ft discrepancy in his altitude setting.