Narrative:

While on arrival to pdx, I copied the ATIS down on a napkin while the captain was flying the airplane. We had clearance to cross bonvl at 14000 ft. As we descended to 14000 ft and leveled off, we were switched over to pdx approach. I checked in, stating that we were at 14000 ft and had received the current ATIS information. Approach responded with 'confirm, you are level at 13000 ft?' we both looked at our altimeters and the standby altimeter, checked the setting as written down on the napkin as 30.35 and responded with 'no, we are level 14000 ft, we've got 3 altimeters showing 14000 ft.' 'approach confirm 29.35?' that's when we realized that I had copied the wrong altimeter setting on the napkin. We corrected the setting to 29.35 and showed us level at 13000 ft. I asked approach if he wanted us to climb back up to 14000 ft and he responded with 'no, that's alright, no problem, descend to 10000 ft.' we continued our flight to pdx on radar vectors and descending to 4000 ft, the captain asked the controller if everything was ok and if we needed to call a number. Approach controller told us that was not necessary. We concluded our flight without incident. I think this error could be prevented by having ACARS installed in our aircraft, so that we have written proof of the ATIS right in front of us. I believe I made this mistake by not listening carefully enough, which might be impaired by static on the radio.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLC HAS ALTDEV DURING ARR TO PHX.

Narrative: WHILE ON ARR TO PDX, I COPIED THE ATIS DOWN ON A NAPKIN WHILE THE CAPT WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE. WE HAD CLRNC TO CROSS BONVL AT 14000 FT. AS WE DSNDED TO 14000 FT AND LEVELED OFF, WE WERE SWITCHED OVER TO PDX APCH. I CHKED IN, STATING THAT WE WERE AT 14000 FT AND HAD RECEIVED THE CURRENT ATIS INFO. APCH RESPONDED WITH 'CONFIRM, YOU ARE LEVEL AT 13000 FT?' WE BOTH LOOKED AT OUR ALTIMETERS AND THE STANDBY ALTIMETER, CHKED THE SETTING AS WRITTEN DOWN ON THE NAPKIN AS 30.35 AND RESPONDED WITH 'NO, WE ARE LEVEL 14000 FT, WE'VE GOT 3 ALTIMETERS SHOWING 14000 FT.' 'APCH CONFIRM 29.35?' THAT'S WHEN WE REALIZED THAT I HAD COPIED THE WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING ON THE NAPKIN. WE CORRECTED THE SETTING TO 29.35 AND SHOWED US LEVEL AT 13000 FT. I ASKED APCH IF HE WANTED US TO CLB BACK UP TO 14000 FT AND HE RESPONDED WITH 'NO, THAT'S ALRIGHT, NO PROB, DSND TO 10000 FT.' WE CONTINUED OUR FLT TO PDX ON RADAR VECTORS AND DSNDING TO 4000 FT, THE CAPT ASKED THE CTLR IF EVERYTHING WAS OK AND IF WE NEEDED TO CALL A NUMBER. APCH CTLR TOLD US THAT WAS NOT NECESSARY. WE CONCLUDED OUR FLT WITHOUT INCIDENT. I THINK THIS ERROR COULD BE PREVENTED BY HAVING ACARS INSTALLED IN OUR ACFT, SO THAT WE HAVE WRITTEN PROOF OF THE ATIS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. I BELIEVE I MADE THIS MISTAKE BY NOT LISTENING CAREFULLY ENOUGH, WHICH MIGHT BE IMPAIRED BY STATIC ON THE RADIO.

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.