DC8 flight crew selects the wrong altimeter setting on approach to mht.

Attributes
ACN	718348
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mht.vor
State Reference	NH
Altitude	msl single value : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	718348
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 18 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	718349
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : executed missed approach flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Hot crew conducted uneventful flight phl-mht until passing through FL180. Approach check was performed upon descending through FL180 with WX presented on speed card by engineer with an inaccurate altimeter setting -- 30.08 versus 30.48 (400 ft difference). Flight engineer misunderstood altimeter setting on mht ATIS recording. Upon entering mht area arrival via vectors various leveloffs were accomplished. Executing approach runway 35 into mht (500 ft) overcast. GA was performed due to discrepancy at minimums and no visual contact with runway environment. Radio altimeter showed aircraft well above minimums. Due to potential terrain in area GA was executed to sort out this discrepancy. WX was confirmed at this time; and altimeter corrected; re-shot mht ILS runway 35; aircraft landed with no further incident. ATC never questioned any altitude deviation at any time. Supplemental information from acn 718349: the destination airport had no digital ATIS. I listened to the ATIS 3 times because the audio was of very poor quality. The headset may have contributed to this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC8 FLT CREW SELECTS THE WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING ON APCH TO MHT.

Narrative: HOT CREW CONDUCTED UNEVENTFUL FLT PHL-MHT UNTIL PASSING THROUGH FL180. APCH CHK WAS PERFORMED UPON DSNDING THROUGH FL180 WITH WX PRESENTED ON SPD CARD BY ENGINEER WITH AN INACCURATE ALTIMETER SETTING -- 30.08 VERSUS 30.48 (400 FT DIFFERENCE). FE MISUNDERSTOOD ALTIMETER SETTING ON MHT ATIS RECORDING. UPON ENTERING MHT AREA ARR VIA VECTORS VARIOUS LEVELOFFS WERE ACCOMPLISHED. EXECUTING APCH RWY 35 INTO MHT (500 FT) OVCST. GA WAS PERFORMED DUE TO DISCREPANCY AT MINIMUMS AND NO VISUAL CONTACT WITH RWY ENVIRONMENT. RADIO ALTIMETER SHOWED ACFT WELL ABOVE MINIMUMS. DUE TO POTENTIAL TERRAIN IN AREA GA WAS EXECUTED TO SORT OUT THIS DISCREPANCY. WX WAS CONFIRMED AT THIS TIME; AND ALTIMETER CORRECTED; RE-SHOT MHT ILS RWY 35; ACFT LANDED WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. ATC NEVER QUESTIONED ANY ALTDEV AT ANY TIME. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 718349: THE DEST ARPT HAD NO DIGITAL ATIS. I LISTENED TO THE ATIS 3 TIMES BECAUSE THE AUDIO WAS OF VERY POOR QUALITY. THE HEADSET MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.