A BE35 pilot leveled off 1000 ft low due to a wrong altimeter setting.

Attributes
ACN	533220
Time
Date	200112
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mpv.airport
State Reference	VT
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	533220
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On morning of incident, altimeter setting dropped from high 30's to 29.82. On ground altimeter reset (no tower, ATIS or ASOS) to 30.82 since it was within 0.20 of this setting. On climb out, altitude seemed low, but communications to center broken and I got the .82 clearly, but not 29.82. Therefore, leveled out at 5000 ft, not 6000 ft as I was cleared. Center finally got me in radar and asked about altitude. I then realized I 1) set it wrong on ground, and 2) didn't hear or recognize I had set altimeter to 30.82 and not 29.82. In the future, I need to doublechk on ground. Preferably this would be aided, but an ASR to be installed at 6b8. Better communication with center would also have helped, but this is not going to happen soon.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE35 PLT LEVELED OFF 1000 FT LOW DUE TO A WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING.

Narrative: ON MORNING OF INCIDENT, ALTIMETER SETTING DROPPED FROM HIGH 30'S TO 29.82. ON GND ALTIMETER RESET (NO TWR, ATIS OR ASOS) TO 30.82 SINCE IT WAS WITHIN 0.20 OF THIS SETTING. ON CLBOUT, ALT SEEMED LOW, BUT COMS TO CTR BROKEN AND I GOT THE .82 CLRLY, BUT NOT 29.82. THEREFORE, LEVELED OUT AT 5000 FT, NOT 6000 FT AS I WAS CLRED. CTR FINALLY GOT ME IN RADAR AND ASKED ABOUT ALT. I THEN REALIZED I 1) SET IT WRONG ON GND, AND 2) DIDN'T HEAR OR RECOGNIZE I HAD SET ALTIMETER TO 30.82 AND NOT 29.82. IN THE FUTURE, I NEED TO DOUBLECHK ON GND. PREFERABLY THIS WOULD BE AIDED, BUT AN ASR TO BE INSTALLED AT 6B8. BETTER COM WITH CTR WOULD ALSO HAVE HELPED, BUT THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN SOON.

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.