An FA50 flight crew descends towards 3000 ft with an improperly set altimeter 15 NM west of cle, oh.

Attributes
ACN	599338
Time
Date	200311
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cle.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc tracon : cle.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Falcon 50
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 8300 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	599338
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : returned to original clearance other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On descent out of FL180, copilot was talking to ZOB on #1 communication radio. Only 1 speaker was working in cockpit, copilot's side. ZOB advised our aircraft of our new altitude, crossing restr, speed, altimeter and which runway cleveland was using. Copilot was rotating altitude alert to new altitude, which produced an audible tone at same time new altimeter was read by ATC. Copilot thought center told us new altimeter was 29.73, and he read back all verbal communications to ATC. We were cleared to 14000 ft, then 3000 ft, then cleared for approach, visual approach at approximately 15 NM outside cle. We obtained ATIS for cleveland and noticed altimeter setting was 30.73, not 29.73. We joined the ILS, landed, no situation. Causes were many. First, not using headsets out of FL180. Second, not obtaining ATIS further out. Third, amount of information given to us by ATC at one time, while altitude alert was toning.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN FA50 FLT CREW DSNDS TOWARDS 3000 FT WITH AN IMPROPERLY SET ALTIMETER 15 NM W OF CLE, OH.

Narrative: ON DSCNT OUT OF FL180, COPLT WAS TALKING TO ZOB ON #1 COM RADIO. ONLY 1 SPEAKER WAS WORKING IN COCKPIT, COPLT'S SIDE. ZOB ADVISED OUR ACFT OF OUR NEW ALT, XING RESTR, SPD, ALTIMETER AND WHICH RWY CLEVELAND WAS USING. COPLT WAS ROTATING ALT ALERT TO NEW ALT, WHICH PRODUCED AN AUDIBLE TONE AT SAME TIME NEW ALTIMETER WAS READ BY ATC. COPLT THOUGHT CTR TOLD US NEW ALTIMETER WAS 29.73, AND HE READ BACK ALL VERBAL COMS TO ATC. WE WERE CLRED TO 14000 FT, THEN 3000 FT, THEN CLRED FOR APCH, VISUAL APCH AT APPROX 15 NM OUTSIDE CLE. WE OBTAINED ATIS FOR CLEVELAND AND NOTICED ALTIMETER SETTING WAS 30.73, NOT 29.73. WE JOINED THE ILS, LANDED, NO SIT. CAUSES WERE MANY. FIRST, NOT USING HEADSETS OUT OF FL180. SECOND, NOT OBTAINING ATIS FURTHER OUT. THIRD, AMOUNT OF INFO GIVEN TO US BY ATC AT ONE TIME, WHILE ALT ALERT WAS TONING.

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.