Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from flg to smo. Approaching eed VOR, the controller asked if I had received the altimeter setting of 29.62 for needles. I replied 'negative.' when I checked onto the frequency, I had not been given a new altimeter setting. My altimeter remained set at 30.12, unchanged from my departure at flagstaff. When I put in the new setting, it changed my indicated altitude by about 500 ft. I corrected my altitude. Because the change was so large, I called the controller back and suggested that he and other aircraft should be aware of the extreme change in WX system in a short distance. He replied that he thought I had read back the new setting when I came on, but allowed that it might have been someone else. I stressed that I had not been given the setting. My practice is to adjust the altimeter dial, as I read back a setting. I don't believe the setting was issued or that I read it back. I noticed in 27 hours of IFR flying between ca and fl last week, that controllers mention the altimeter setting during handoffs about 50% of the time. More consistency would be useful. I suppose in the future, I will ask 100% of the time when I change frequencys.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C210 ENRTE FROM FLG TO SMO FAILS TO RECEIVE UPDATED ALTIMETER INFO FROM ZLA AFTER FREQ CHANGE.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM FLG TO SMO. APCHING EED VOR, THE CTLR ASKED IF I HAD RECEIVED THE ALTIMETER SETTING OF 29.62 FOR NEEDLES. I REPLIED 'NEGATIVE.' WHEN I CHKED ONTO THE FREQ, I HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN A NEW ALTIMETER SETTING. MY ALTIMETER REMAINED SET AT 30.12, UNCHANGED FROM MY DEP AT FLAGSTAFF. WHEN I PUT IN THE NEW SETTING, IT CHANGED MY INDICATED ALTITUDE BY ABOUT 500 FT. I CORRECTED MY ALT. BECAUSE THE CHANGE WAS SO LARGE, I CALLED THE CTLR BACK AND SUGGESTED THAT HE AND OTHER ACFT SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE EXTREME CHANGE IN WX SYS IN A SHORT DISTANCE. HE REPLIED THAT HE THOUGHT I HAD READ BACK THE NEW SETTING WHEN I CAME ON, BUT ALLOWED THAT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOMEONE ELSE. I STRESSED THAT I HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN THE SETTING. MY PRACTICE IS TO ADJUST THE ALTIMETER DIAL, AS I READ BACK A SETTING. I DON'T BELIEVE THE SETTING WAS ISSUED OR THAT I READ IT BACK. I NOTICED IN 27 HRS OF IFR FLYING BTWN CA AND FL LAST WK, THAT CTLRS MENTION THE ALTIMETER SETTING DURING HDOFS ABOUT 50% OF THE TIME. MORE CONSISTENCY WOULD BE USEFUL. I SUPPOSE IN THE FUTURE, I WILL ASK 100% OF THE TIME WHEN I CHANGE FREQS.

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.