Big mistake in setting my altimeter

U

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I'm a student pilot and this morning I went for a solo flight to the practice area. I fly out of a non-towered airport with no weather station, so I always set the altimeter to the airport elevation (122 feet) before takeoff. This time I managed to set it to 1122 feet without noticing. I believe that the last time this plane was flown was Wednesday and there was a big drop in seal level pressure since then so the the altimeter was already indicating close to 1000 feet when I got in. 1122 feet gave me an altimeter setting of 30.76 (I remember thinking this seemed really high) and the initial setting on the GPS (last one entered) was 30.46. Anyway I take off, have my head out the window for the first part of the takeoff, glance down and think "I must be getting some crazy climb rates right now cause I'm already at 2000. Everything seemed off though and it didn't look like 2000 feet. I climb to 3000 indicated and do some airwork. The whole time I had a feeling that something was wrong and the view didn't look right, but I shrugged it off figuring it must be because I haven't flown in two weeks. I make my way back and was going by the view out the window to try to stay in gliding distance of the airport, not really paying much attention to my altimeter. As I'm setting up for the 45, I begin descending and get the feeling that something is really wrong. I make it down to 1500 indicated while on the downwind and now I know for a fact that I'm wayyy to low when I'm indicating that I should be too high. I start to think that the barometric pressure might have dropped a lot since 30 min ago when I took off, but I really didn't think that was possible. I decide to climb and turn right out of the pattern, and it finally hits me what I must have done. I pull out my sectional and loop up the frequency for an ASOS 10 miles away, tune it in, and sure enough they're giving an altimeter setting about an inch lower than what I have set. I dial it in, enter the pattern on the 45 again, and land without incident. I'm definitely not making this mistake again, and I'm really glad it didn't happen at night where it might not be so obvious how low I am.
 
Good catch, and you flew the plane first (instead on concentrating on the problem so much that you neglect flying the aircraft). Eventually, you'll learn how to land without the altimeter.
 
You made the mistake, you recognized it, you fixed it. Sounds like you handled it just fine. And yeah, I doubt you'll make that same mistake again. Fly on...
 
Cap'n Jack said:
Good catch, and you flew the plane first (instead on concentrating on the problem so much that you neglect flying the aircraft). Eventually, you'll learn how to land without the altimeter.
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I don't think I'd have any problem landing without an altimeter, but I like to be at TPA when downwind midfield because that's where everyone expects me to be. Once I'm abeam the numbers I don't think I even look at the altimeter anymore for the rest of the approach and landing.
 
It is good practice to be in to not rely on the altimeter. Because if you have to land at an unusual airport there may not be time to get the number just right. (One of many instruments my instructor failed when about 10 miles to the field. Threw me off but ultimately got the plane on the ground.
 
saracelica said:
It is good practice to be in to not rely on the altimeter. Because if you have to land at an unusual airport there may not be time to get the number just right. (One of many instruments my instructor failed when about 10 miles to the field. Threw me off but ultimately got the plane on the ground.
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I now realize that failed instruments that are obviously not working are much better than instruments that you think are giving you good information but are really failed/not set correctly. I don't think altimeters are all that useful for landing VFR, I just like to be at TPA in the pattern. I've never landed without an ASI and that would definitely make me nervous.
 
You wouldn't be the first one to make such mistake. Pro pilots have misread altimeters by 10,000 feet on occasion.

Also, when I first moved to an area with an elevation of 200 feet from one with an elevation of 1200 feet, I was doing a checkout with a CFI who asked me to climb to 3,000'. I leveled off at 2,000'. :redface:
 
Unregistered said:
I don't think I'd have any problem landing without an altimeter, but I like to be at TPA when downwind midfield because that's where everyone expects me to be. Once I'm abeam the numbers I don't think I even look at the altimeter anymore for the rest of the approach and landing.
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Unregistered said:
I now realize that failed instruments that are obviously not working are much better than instruments that you think are giving you good information but are really failed/not set correctly. I don't think altimeters are all that useful for landing VFR, I just like to be at TPA in the pattern. I've never landed without an ASI and that would definitely make me nervous.
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My opinion, FWIW, is that one should be able to tell when they are roughly 1000' and 500' from the ground- you are probably almost there. If someone is at 100' or 200' off the traffic pattern altitude, it not a good thing, but someone in the pattern should be able to see them. You eventually shouldn't need the ASI for landing either- As Sara mentioned, there are all sorts of airport configurations. At towered fields, they may keep you at 5000', align you with the runway, and clear you to land so you are making a straight-in final from several miles out and well above the usual TPA (and I've done this several times). The ASI isn't as much help as seeing where you are with respect to where you want to land and just landing the plane.

Again, you did fine- keep flying, keep learning.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
My opinion, FWIW, is that one should be able to tell when they are roughly 1000' and 500' from the ground- you are probably almost there. If someone is at 100' or 200' off the traffic pattern altitude, it not a good thing, but someone in the pattern should be able to see them. You eventually shouldn't need the ASI for landing either- As Sara mentioned, there are all sorts of airport configurations. At towered fields, they may keep you at 5000', align you with the runway, and clear you to land so you are making a straight-in final from several miles out and well above the usual TPA (and I've done this several times). The ASI isn't as much help as seeing where you are with respect to where you want to land and just landing the plane.

Again, you did fine- keep flying, keep learning.
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I don't think I'd having any problem judging 500' or 1000' AGL with an INOP altimeter (I have 55 hours TT with all minimum requirements met and currently doing checkride prep), but when the altimeter is indicating 1000 feet higher than my real altitude, I start to think I'm going crazy. I've done many straight-ins at towered airports and I don't really use my altimeter at all. I guess the lesson here is never fully trust a single instrument, especially when it needs to be set correctly by the pilot to work correctly. And when you have a feeling the entire flight that something is wrong, pay close attention and look into it further. Finally, LOOK AT THE DAMN 1000 FEET HAND REAL CAREFULLY! It's really not that hard to not notice that it's to the right of the 1 instead of left when you're on the ground and not expecting it (at least for me). I never have problems reading my altimeter in the air, but this threw me off. Thanks for the words of encouragement. I just want other people to think of this and not make such a stupid mistake.
 
Good catch.

BTDT Given that 1"Hg is about 1000' it's an easy mistake to make. I didn't notice I had done it until I was descending to do 8's on Pylons. Thought it looked WAY to low so I climbed out, listened again to the alt setting from AWOS and realized the problem.
 
There you go, when in doubt the view out the window wins, just fly the plane, work it out, and fix it.
 
upstateny said:
Good catch.

BTDT Given that 1"Hg is about 1000' it's an easy mistake to make. I didn't notice I had done it until I was descending to do 8's on Pylons. Thought it looked WAY to low so I climbed out, listened again to the alt setting from AWOS and realized the problem.
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Glad to hear I'm not the only one. When you fly rental planes (or any plane that's flown almost every VMC day of the week), you don't expect the altimeter to be off by more than 200 feet when you go to set it. If I were to design an altimeter, I'd have a big window with a number indicating 1000's of feet in addition to the hands.
 
I was out flying and headed back to the airport. I always listen to the local ATC then ATIS and then switch back to 122.80 / CTAF. I entered the pattern after calling out my intentions and no responce, but I see 2 planes in he pattern! :eek: WTF! Why isn't anyone using the radio! :mad2: Dumbbutts! :mad:

Then I realize I was talking on 128.00 instead of 122.80. :redface::redface::redface:

Mistakes happen, no one is perfect.
 
Twice in the last couple of months I've had brain vapor-lock and made pattern calls for the wrong rwy. Both times when landing 18 and calling for 36, at two different airports. Haven't set the altimeter wrong, yet...I don't think.

Welcome to the TLAR (That Looks About Right) school of landing.
 
Geico266 said:
I was out flying and headed back to the airport. I always listen to the local ATC then ATIS and then switch back to 122.80 / CTAF. I entered the pattern after calling out my intentions and no responce, but I see 2 planes in he pattern! :eek: WTF! Why isn't anyone using the radio! :mad2: Dumbbutts! :mad:

Then I realize I was talking on 128.00 instead of 122.80. :redface::redface::redface:

Mistakes happen, no one is perfect.
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Had a similar incident on this same flight. I'm holding short of the runway finishing up my runup when I see a plane land (Cirrus I think so it definitely has radios). I start wondering why I didn't hear any call-outs when I'm tuned to the CTAF, and then I notice the volume on COM1 is all the way down. I turn up the volume and hear him call clear of 32. Gotta love rental planes.
 
Unregistered said:
Had a similar incident on this same flight. I'm holding short of the runway finishing up my runup when I see a plane land (Cirrus I think so it definitely has radios). I start wondering why I didn't hear any call-outs when I'm tuned to the CTAF, and then I notice the volume on COM1 is all the way down. I turn up the volume and hear him call clear of 32. Gotta love rental planes.
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Yep, been there and done that also, in my own plane! :eek: I had a bad habit of turning the volume down so I could listen to the music without the radio cutting it off with automatic volume control. Now I pull it out the volume knob to kill the squelch to set the volume every flight, part of my preflight now.
 
I could probably land my Arrow at the numbers entering the TPA anywhere between 200 feet and 3000 feet. 200 feet, use more power. 3000 feet, idle RPM and full flaps. Thing has the sink rate of a Steinway.
 
Unregistered said:
I don't think I'd have any problem landing without an altimeter,
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FYI, some of the glider challenge badges required demonstration of landings (with an instructor aboard) without reference to altitude measuring instrumentation. The idea is to prepare one in the event one has to land out and doesn't know the ground elevation. Could happen on a long cross country where you got off your charts.
 
Done the same thing, flew 250 miles VFR on a VOR-VOR route that follows an airway. Noticed the discrepancy during descent into the destination when the trees from 2000ft looked awfully large.

Don't think I scared anyone in the process, filed an ASRS anyway.
 
Unregistered said:
Done the same thing, flew 250 miles VFR on a VOR-VOR route that follows an airway. Noticed the discrepancy during descent into the destination when the trees from 2000ft looked awfully large.

Don't think I scared anyone in the process, filed an ASRS anyway.
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Another good reason to get flight following. They always give me an altimeter setting after calling "radar contact". Plus if you report a current altitude that's 1000 feet off from the Mode C they're getting from you, they will definitely point it out.
 
Unregistered said:
Another good reason to get flight following. They always give me an altimeter setting after calling "radar contact". Plus if you report a current altitude that's 1000 feet off from the Mode C they're getting from you, they will definitely point it out.
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Trust me, from this point forward you will look at the altimeter with a much closer eye when setting to the field altitude. :D
 
Unregistered said:
1122 feet gave me an altimeter setting of 30.76 (I remember thinking this seemed really high)
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Hi - fellow student pilot here. I had an incident on a flight several years ago with a very experienced, seasoned, high time pilot that taught me a very valuable lesson. Never... ever... take off with any unresolved "hey, that's weird" items. One almost killed me, and it's a lesson I will never forget.

This guy had flown everything from singles to twins to a P-51, and we almost planted an airplane bush with a 172 on our lunch break.
 
Sac Arrow said:
I could probably land my Arrow at the numbers entering the TPA anywhere between 200 feet and 3000 feet. 200 feet, use more power. 3000 feet, idle RPM and full flaps. Thing has the sink rate of a Steinway.
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Clearly, you've never flown an Aztec. :)

I've made the same mistake before, and for me I realized it as I was entering IMC and thought "Hmm, I'm passing [altitude] really fast."

Don't feel badly about it. Learn and keep flying.
 
Unregistered said:
I guess the lesson here is never fully trust a single instrument, especially when it needs to be set correctly by the pilot to work correctly. And when you have a feeling the entire flight that something is wrong, pay close attention and look into it further.
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Exactly! I've learned the same lesson recently, after making a somewhat similar mistake...

I'm a student pilot, and was on my solo cross-country. Closing to the destination airport, I listened to the AWOS, and set the altimeter accordingly (as I thought). Well, I don't really know how it happened - but I ended up with the totally random altimeter setting resulting in about 500' error :(. I did 3 touch-and-go's there wondering why I feel being too high turning final despite what altimeter shows, why the PAPIs are always white and I have to fly the whole final on idle power in order to land on the 1st third of the runway, and why the other plane in the pattern (also doing touch-and-go's) was flying so much lower than I :confused:. I almost never look at the altimeter after turning final as long as it doesn't feel too low and/or PAPIs are not red, so I didn't realize what's going on until my 4th landing that was a full stop - only on the ground getting ready for take-off I noticed the altimeter showing about -500 MSL (while the field elevation was 22')...
 
You guys really need Jesse's "throw a jacket over the instrument panel" lesson. ;)

There are usually plenty of visual cues that can be used to get within about 100' of a standard 1000' AGL pattern altitude that don't require an operating altimeter.

In Cessnas, start with putting the runway halfway up the wing strut.

Now you're looking at the runway with an angle of roughly 45 degrees. Close enough.

Your homework... how far away from the runway do you need to be to be 1000' up in a right triangle?

Now look at the chart. Landmarks. Pick something that far away and fly over it. Or something double that far away and fly exactly between it and the runway.

If that runway is halfway up the strut and you're over your spot/landmark...

Uncover that altimeter now. Bet you're within 100' or less of pattern altitude! :)

Tricks o' the trade...
 
You just had one of your best lessons. When every thing goes along perfectly, your just practicing, but not leaning much, nor are you discovering what a good pilot you are going to become.

You had a problem, you flew the airplane, you solved the problem, you flew the airplane. What can be a greater day than that?

Get with your instructor one day soon, and cover everything except the compass and engine instruments, (tach & oil p.) Spend at least a few hours, taking off and landing, navigating to another airport, and calling out what you think your altitude and airspeed is. Go through the basic maneuvers, do some stalls & steep turns.

Do NOT attempt that without your instructor on board.

Get rid of your dependencies on instruments, you can operate the airplane without them.

When you are operating in congested environments like Los Angeles or San Diego, you need all your instruments working and set right.

You did a great job, buy yourself some ice cream.

-John
 
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