37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Attributes | |
ACN | 996943 |
Time | |
Date | 201203 |
Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
State Reference | US |
Aircraft 1 | |
Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
Flight Phase | Initial Approach |
Component | |
Aircraft Component | Altimeter |
Person 1 | |
Function | Pilot Not Flying Captain |
Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
Person 2 | |
Function | Pilot Flying First Officer |
Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
Events | |
Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Procedural Clearance Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT |
Narrative:
While on descent; I tuned in the ATIS early as there was known weather in the area. Upon receiving the ATIS I commented on how low it was 29.39. Descending I dialed the altimeter into the standby at which time we received an excessive amount of radio static due to weather (common problem in this aircraft while in clouds). We switched radios and although a small adjustment; it does take some getting used to. We had received deviations around weather; altitude changes; heading changes; and due to the radio that was acting up; it became a high work load. Somewhere in there I had switched on the lights; we ran our flows; and then did the checklist. Moving forward; we were given 3;000 until established; then a frequency change at which point the controller read the altimeter for good measure as 30.39 or so I heard (I do not know at this point) and so I read back the frequency and altimeter setting of 30.39 which also happened to be our flight number. The controller said nothing and we switched frequencies. At this point we could see the ground and were both starting to get the sense something was not right. Our radar altimeters were reading wrong as we approached and we were trying to figure out what it was when we received a gear warning that matched the RA that was reading wrong. ATC then asked us if we had been advised of a low altitude alert by the previous guy which we had not. He then started to read the altimeter when we realize that although it was set correctly in the standby; somehow we had both set the primaries to 30.39 instead of 29.39 missed it despite the checklist. We immediately corrected our altitude and there were no further issues; nor any conflicts.if something does not feel or sound right should always query ATC. When I read back the altimeter and flight number is sounded odd to me and I though it was simply because they were the same.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Air Carrier flight crew reports getting their flight number and the altimeter setting confused during descent resulting in descent 1;000 FT below assigned altitude. The error is detected by ATC and a GPWS flap warning nearly simultaneously.
Narrative: While on descent; I tuned in the ATIS early as there was known weather in the area. Upon receiving the ATIS I commented on how low it was 29.39. Descending I dialed the altimeter into the standby at which time we received an excessive amount of radio static due to weather (common problem in this aircraft while in clouds). We switched radios and although a small adjustment; it does take some getting used to. We had received deviations around weather; altitude changes; heading changes; and due to the radio that was acting up; it became a high work load. Somewhere in there I had switched on the lights; we ran our flows; and then did the checklist. Moving forward; we were given 3;000 until established; then a frequency change at which point the Controller read the altimeter for good measure as 30.39 or so I heard (I do not know at this point) and so I read back the frequency and altimeter setting of 30.39 which also happened to be our flight number. The Controller said nothing and we switched frequencies. At this point we could see the ground and were both starting to get the sense something was not right. Our radar altimeters were reading wrong as we approached and we were trying to figure out what it was when we received a gear warning that matched the RA that was reading wrong. ATC then asked us if we had been advised of a low altitude alert by the previous guy which we had not. He then started to read the altimeter when we realize that although it was set correctly in the standby; somehow we had both set the primaries to 30.39 instead of 29.39 missed it despite the checklist. We immediately corrected our altitude and there were no further issues; nor any conflicts.If something does not feel or sound right should always query ATC. When I read back the altimeter and flight number is sounded odd to me and I though it was simply because they were the same.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.