A light aircraft pilot discovered altitude deviation was the result of a wrong altimeter setting.

Attributes
ACN	511084
Time
Date	200105
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hys.airport
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl single value : 8800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 1450 flight time type : 850
ASRS Report	511084
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I landed at hys when a deep low pressure center was centered over denver, co. Prior to departure, I set the altimeter to what I thought was field elevation but was actually 1000 ft low. On departure, I was assigned 8000 ft. I was climbing through 8800 ft when the controller called and I realized my error. I think the large difference between the low on arrival and the high pressure on departure and that I normally operate out of an area of the country that is around 1000 ft contributed to the error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LIGHT ACFT PLT DISCOVERED ALTDEV WAS THE RESULT OF A WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING.

Narrative: I LANDED AT HYS WHEN A DEEP LOW PRESSURE CENTER WAS CENTERED OVER DENVER, CO. PRIOR TO DEP, I SET THE ALTIMETER TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS FIELD ELEVATION BUT WAS ACTUALLY 1000 FT LOW. ON DEP, I WAS ASSIGNED 8000 FT. I WAS CLBING THROUGH 8800 FT WHEN THE CTLR CALLED AND I REALIZED MY ERROR. I THINK THE LARGE DIFFERENCE BTWN THE LOW ON ARR AND THE HIGH PRESSURE ON DEP AND THAT I NORMALLY OPERATE OUT OF AN AREA OF THE COUNTRY THAT IS AROUND 1000 FT CONTRIBUTED TO THE ERROR.

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.