Having incorrectly set their altimeter descending into london, a flight crew finds themselves within 400 ft of the MSA after being questioned by the controller.

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Attributes
ACN	572132
Time
Date	200301
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
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 : atp
ASRS Report	572132
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	571653
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Intercepting localizer on descent to lhr in contact with london radar in visual conditions, we were issued descent to 3000 ft and altimeter, which I read back as 29.92. We were on a vector for localizer intercept. During descent the controller questioned our altitude and reissued altimeter '992 millibars.' both the captain's and my altimeter were incorrectly set to 29.92 inches so we were about 500 ft low. We were already on GS intercept and continued the approach and landing uneventfully. We were in visual conditions, and the MSA in that area is 2100 ft. In retrospect, although I was having difficulty understanding the controller, I should have had the forethought to question the altimeter setting. Contributing factors in addition to difficulty understanding the controller were fatigue and a holding clearance which was canceled just as we crossed the holding fix.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HAVING INCORRECTLY SET THEIR ALTIMETER DSNDING INTO LONDON, A FLC FINDS THEMSELVES WITHIN 400 FT OF THE MSA AFTER BEING QUESTIONED BY THE CTLR.

Narrative: INTERCEPTING LOC ON DSCNT TO LHR IN CONTACT WITH LONDON RADAR IN VISUAL CONDITIONS, WE WERE ISSUED DSCNT TO 3000 FT AND ALTIMETER, WHICH I READ BACK AS 29.92. WE WERE ON A VECTOR FOR LOC INTERCEPT. DURING DSCNT THE CTLR QUESTIONED OUR ALT AND REISSUED ALTIMETER '992 MILLIBARS.' BOTH THE CAPT'S AND MY ALTIMETER WERE INCORRECTLY SET TO 29.92 INCHES SO WE WERE ABOUT 500 FT LOW. WE WERE ALREADY ON GS INTERCEPT AND CONTINUED THE APCH AND LNDG UNEVENTFULLY. WE WERE IN VISUAL CONDITIONS, AND THE MSA IN THAT AREA IS 2100 FT. IN RETROSPECT, ALTHOUGH I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THE CTLR, I SHOULD HAVE HAD THE FORETHOUGHT TO QUESTION THE ALTIMETER SETTING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN ADDITION TO DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THE CTLR WERE FATIGUE AND A HOLDING CLRNC WHICH WAS CANCELED JUST AS WE CROSSED THE HOLDING FIX.

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.