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Pilot of PA28 sets altimeter kollsman incorrectly and flies initial stages of flight 800 ft lower than indicated.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 634026 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200410 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : 5go.airport |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 780 msl bound upper : 1100 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-24 Comanche |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level ground : preflight |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 13 flight time total : 1550 flight time type : 950 |
| ASRS Report | 634026 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : became reoriented |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
The altimeter setting had changed approximately 1 inch since the last time I flew the airplane. The airport that I fly from is uncontrolled and no current altimeter setting is available. I did my preflight and taxied to the end of the takeoff runway, did a run-up, checked engine and flight instruments, and set altimeter to field elevation 780 ft (I thought). I should say, set the large pointer to 80 ft without regard for the small pointer, which was at '1,' which made my altimeter read 1780 ft. I took off and thought 'how did I get to 2500 ft so fast?' as I was trying to figure out what was going on, I had to descend to below 2100 ft to go below class C airspace. Ground elevation at this point was about 500-600 ft MSL. So I was flying at about 1100 ft MSL, not exactly sure. At this point I could see that I was a lot lower than I thought, tuned in ATIS from large airport and got correct altimeter setting. It was set about .8 of an inch off. I believe that I was over sparsely populated area so, therefore, I don't think I violated any FARS. However, I filed this report because it was something that could have presented a very dangerous situation and maybe someone else can learn to always check the altimeter completely when setting it. I know I will.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF PA28 SETS ALTIMETER KOLLSMAN INCORRECTLY AND FLIES INITIAL STAGES OF FLT 800 FT LOWER THAN INDICATED.
Narrative: THE ALTIMETER SETTING HAD CHANGED APPROX 1 INCH SINCE THE LAST TIME I FLEW THE AIRPLANE. THE ARPT THAT I FLY FROM IS UNCTLED AND NO CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING IS AVAILABLE. I DID MY PREFLT AND TAXIED TO THE END OF THE TKOF RWY, DID A RUN-UP, CHKED ENG AND FLT INSTS, AND SET ALTIMETER TO FIELD ELEVATION 780 FT (I THOUGHT). I SHOULD SAY, SET THE LARGE POINTER TO 80 FT WITHOUT REGARD FOR THE SMALL POINTER, WHICH WAS AT '1,' WHICH MADE MY ALTIMETER READ 1780 FT. I TOOK OFF AND THOUGHT 'HOW DID I GET TO 2500 FT SO FAST?' AS I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON, I HAD TO DSND TO BELOW 2100 FT TO GO BELOW CLASS C AIRSPACE. GND ELEVATION AT THIS POINT WAS ABOUT 500-600 FT MSL. SO I WAS FLYING AT ABOUT 1100 FT MSL, NOT EXACTLY SURE. AT THIS POINT I COULD SEE THAT I WAS A LOT LOWER THAN I THOUGHT, TUNED IN ATIS FROM LARGE ARPT AND GOT CORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING. IT WAS SET ABOUT .8 OF AN INCH OFF. I BELIEVE THAT I WAS OVER SPARSELY POPULATED AREA SO, THEREFORE, I DON'T THINK I VIOLATED ANY FARS. HOWEVER, I FILED THIS RPT BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE PRESENTED A VERY DANGEROUS SIT AND MAYBE SOMEONE ELSE CAN LEARN TO ALWAYS CHK THE ALTIMETER COMPLETELY WHEN SETTING IT. I KNOW I WILL.
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.