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Wrong altimeter setting by crew approaching seattle is noted by an alert controller when the aircraft crosses the fix 400 ft below the assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 491029 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200011 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : s46.tracon |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 15600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zse.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Super 80 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | arrival star : chins.2 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| ASRS Report | 491029 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 491030 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Improper altimeter setting. On the descent into sea, we were cleared to cross snomy at 16000 ft on the CHINS2 arrival. Passing FL180, the captain and myself set in 30.31 on the altimeters as we thought we had heard from center on the initial clearance to 16000 ft when in fact the local altimeter was 29.91. After leveling off at 16000 ft, center asked if we were level at 16000 ft and if we had 29.91 set. Captain was flying, so I responded 'no, we have 30.31.' he then said to put in 29.91 and to continue the descent to 12000 ft. Nothing more was said and he handed us off to approach control. We were in VMC at the time. After discussing this after landing, the captain and I both realized how important it is to follow correct procedures in setting the altimeters. We both learned a valuable lesson.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING BY CREW APCHING SEATTLE IS NOTED BY AN ALERT CTLR WHEN THE ACFT CROSSES THE FIX 400 FT BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: IMPROPER ALTIMETER SETTING. ON THE DSCNT INTO SEA, WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS SNOMY AT 16000 FT ON THE CHINS2 ARR. PASSING FL180, THE CAPT AND MYSELF SET IN 30.31 ON THE ALTIMETERS AS WE THOUGHT WE HAD HEARD FROM CTR ON THE INITIAL CLRNC TO 16000 FT WHEN IN FACT THE LCL ALTIMETER WAS 29.91. AFTER LEVELING OFF AT 16000 FT, CTR ASKED IF WE WERE LEVEL AT 16000 FT AND IF WE HAD 29.91 SET. CAPT WAS FLYING, SO I RESPONDED 'NO, WE HAVE 30.31.' HE THEN SAID TO PUT IN 29.91 AND TO CONTINUE THE DSCNT TO 12000 FT. NOTHING MORE WAS SAID AND HE HANDED US OFF TO APCH CTL. WE WERE IN VMC AT THE TIME. AFTER DISCUSSING THIS AFTER LNDG, THE CAPT AND I BOTH REALIZED HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO FOLLOW CORRECT PROCS IN SETTING THE ALTIMETERS. WE BOTH LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON.
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.