Narrative:

This event was an error in setting 29.92. Altimeter in anc was real low 28.47 at time of departure. First officer set his altimeter to 29.92 climbing through FL180. Captain set his altimeter to 28.92 and his standby to 29.92. This created an approximately 900 ft difference from a 29.92 setting. On climb out from anc; center cleared us to cruise altitude of FL330. As we were climbing out and within what I thought was 1000 ft of FL330 cruise altitude; we saw an aircraft opposite direction on TCAS and even had visual contact. As we continued to climb; we saw that it appeared we were going to be at the same altitude. Approximately 600 ft later or FL336; we received a TA on our TCAS followed by RA and the first officer descended as guided by TCAS. During the descent an aural warning of clear of conflict was received and I recognized the error of 28.92 and corrected the altimeter setting immediately. However; before oncoming traffic had passed; first officer was back on proper altitude using his altimeter that was set to 29.92. Route of flight at time of event: we were cleared direct to tou (this is located approximately 100 mi southwest of vancouver) and we were approximately 50 mi from mdo (near anc) at time of direct clearance climbing out of about FL250. I spoke with zan ATC supervisor upon arrival in ont and told him of the altimeter mistake and he stated that we were 400 ft from really being at FL340 but were 4 mi (20000) laterally from approaching aircraft. He told me that a report was filed with FSDO. In retrospect; both captain and first officer should have been more vigilant in xchking and setting proper altimeter settings due to the uncommonly low altimeter in anchorage when setting our altimeters when passing transition altitude.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767-200 FLT CREW EXPERIENCED AN ALTDEV AND RECEIVES A TCAS RA WHILE IN CLB.

Narrative: THIS EVENT WAS AN ERROR IN SETTING 29.92. ALTIMETER IN ANC WAS REAL LOW 28.47 AT TIME OF DEP. FO SET HIS ALTIMETER TO 29.92 CLBING THROUGH FL180. CAPT SET HIS ALTIMETER TO 28.92 AND HIS STANDBY TO 29.92. THIS CREATED AN APPROX 900 FT DIFFERENCE FROM A 29.92 SETTING. ON CLBOUT FROM ANC; CTR CLRED US TO CRUISE ALT OF FL330. AS WE WERE CLBING OUT AND WITHIN WHAT I THOUGHT WAS 1000 FT OF FL330 CRUISE ALT; WE SAW AN ACFT OPPOSITE DIRECTION ON TCAS AND EVEN HAD VISUAL CONTACT. AS WE CONTINUED TO CLB; WE SAW THAT IT APPEARED WE WERE GOING TO BE AT THE SAME ALT. APPROX 600 FT LATER OR FL336; WE RECEIVED A TA ON OUR TCAS FOLLOWED BY RA AND THE FO DSNDED AS GUIDED BY TCAS. DURING THE DSCNT AN AURAL WARNING OF CLR OF CONFLICT WAS RECEIVED AND I RECOGNIZED THE ERROR OF 28.92 AND CORRECTED THE ALTIMETER SETTING IMMEDIATELY. HOWEVER; BEFORE ONCOMING TFC HAD PASSED; FO WAS BACK ON PROPER ALTITUDE USING HIS ALTIMETER THAT WAS SET TO 29.92. RTE OF FLT AT TIME OF EVENT: WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO TOU (THIS IS LOCATED APPROX 100 MI SW OF VANCOUVER) AND WE WERE APPROX 50 MI FROM MDO (NEAR ANC) AT TIME OF DIRECT CLRNC CLBING OUT OF ABOUT FL250. I SPOKE WITH ZAN ATC SUPVR UPON ARR IN ONT AND TOLD HIM OF THE ALTIMETER MISTAKE AND HE STATED THAT WE WERE 400 FT FROM REALLY BEING AT FL340 BUT WERE 4 MI (20000) LATERALLY FROM APCHING ACFT. HE TOLD ME THAT A RPT WAS FILED WITH FSDO. IN RETROSPECT; BOTH CAPT AND FO SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE VIGILANT IN XCHKING AND SETTING PROPER ALTIMETER SETTINGS DUE TO THE UNCOMMONLY LOW ALTIMETER IN ANCHORAGE WHEN SETTING OUR ALTIMETERS WHEN PASSING TRANSITION ALT.

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.