An altimeter setting error results in descent below assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	568343
Time
Date	200212
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : brigs
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 700 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	568343
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met inflight encounter other non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight abcd to isp, we were descending from FL240 ft, cleared to cross intersection dunce at 9000 ft. I went off radio to obtain ATIS at islip. I briefed landing information: winds were '300 degrees at 18 KTS gusting to 20 KTS. Altimeter 29.54.' captain queried winds again, then set altimeter on left and center to 30.54. While completing descent checklist through FL180, I matched 30.54 on my side. We crossed dunee at 8000 ft AGL instead of 9000 ft. Our continued descent from 9000-4000 ft involved handoff to boston, then quickly to new york approach. The altimeter setting was corrected on contacting new york approach before reaching 4000 ft. Factors for incident: 1) late night/fatigue. 2) poor communication between captain/first officer. 3) I should have been more attentive to the information I copied on ATIS. Our xchk needed improvement.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ALTIMETER SETTING ERROR RESULTS IN DSCNT BELOW ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: FLT ABCD TO ISP, WE WERE DSNDING FROM FL240 FT, CLRED TO CROSS INTXN DUNCE AT 9000 FT. I WENT OFF RADIO TO OBTAIN ATIS AT ISLIP. I BRIEFED LNDG INFO: WINDS WERE '300 DEGS AT 18 KTS GUSTING TO 20 KTS. ALTIMETER 29.54.' CAPT QUERIED WINDS AGAIN, THEN SET ALTIMETER ON L AND CTR TO 30.54. WHILE COMPLETING DSCNT CHKLIST THROUGH FL180, I MATCHED 30.54 ON MY SIDE. WE CROSSED DUNEE AT 8000 FT AGL INSTEAD OF 9000 FT. OUR CONTINUED DSCNT FROM 9000-4000 FT INVOLVED HDOF TO BOSTON, THEN QUICKLY TO NEW YORK APCH. THE ALTIMETER SETTING WAS CORRECTED ON CONTACTING NEW YORK APCH BEFORE REACHING 4000 FT. FACTORS FOR INCIDENT: 1) LATE NIGHT/FATIGUE. 2) POOR COM BTWN CAPT/FO. 3) I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ATTENTIVE TO THE INFO I COPIED ON ATIS. OUR XCHK NEEDED IMPROVEMENT.

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.