AC11 student and instrument instructor misset the aircraft altimeter and had an altitude overshoot a...

Attributes
ACN	540349
Time
Date	200203
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ssf.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sat.tracon tower : mia.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Aero Commander 112
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	540349
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert none taken : detected after the fact other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Misset altimeter caused altitude deviation. I was with a CFI, and I checked the altimeter setting at stinson to the ATIS. The ATIS was difficult to hear, at best (garbled, weak, noisy). We were headed to practice ILS approachs at san antonio. We were assigned 2500 ft. I climbed to 2500 ft (indicated), and approach advised that I was at 3200 ft, and gave me the current sat altimeter setting of 30.57. I checked my altimeter again and found it set to 30.05. I immediately descended to assigned altitude. Causes and contributing factors: cause: misset altimeter. Contributing factors: weak and barely audible ATIS, unfamiliar distraction from conversation with cfii caused me to set the altimeter to 30.05 instead of 30.57, and I also failed to xchk with field elevation. Altimeter setting was unusually high for the area (it's normally around 30.0), so I must have heard 30.57 and assumed 30.05.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AC11 STUDENT AND INST INSTRUCTOR MISSET THE ACFT ALTIMETER AND HAD AN ALT OVERSHOOT AS A RESULT.

Narrative: MISSET ALTIMETER CAUSED ALTDEV. I WAS WITH A CFI, AND I CHKED THE ALTIMETER SETTING AT STINSON TO THE ATIS. THE ATIS WAS DIFFICULT TO HEAR, AT BEST (GARBLED, WEAK, NOISY). WE WERE HEADED TO PRACTICE ILS APCHS AT SAN ANTONIO. WE WERE ASSIGNED 2500 FT. I CLBED TO 2500 FT (INDICATED), AND APCH ADVISED THAT I WAS AT 3200 FT, AND GAVE ME THE CURRENT SAT ALTIMETER SETTING OF 30.57. I CHKED MY ALTIMETER AGAIN AND FOUND IT SET TO 30.05. I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO ASSIGNED ALT. CAUSES AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: CAUSE: MISSET ALTIMETER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: WEAK AND BARELY AUDIBLE ATIS, UNFAMILIAR DISTR FROM CONVERSATION WITH CFII CAUSED ME TO SET THE ALTIMETER TO 30.05 INSTEAD OF 30.57, AND I ALSO FAILED TO XCHK WITH FIELD ELEVATION. ALTIMETER SETTING WAS UNUSUALLY HIGH FOR THE AREA (IT'S NORMALLY AROUND 30.0), SO I MUST HAVE HEARD 30.57 AND ASSUMED 30.05.

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.

AC11 student and instrument instructor misset the aircraft altimeter and had an altitude overshoot as a result.