A BEECH 99 FREIGHTER PLT CLBS 1000 FT ABOVE HIS ASSIGNED CRUISE ALT WHEN HE SETS HIS ALTIMETER TO A SETTING THAT IS 1 INCH TOO LOW. ALTIMETER READS 5000 FT WHEN HE LEVELS AT 6000 FT 10 MI N OF MKE; WI.

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AFTER A NORMAL PREFLT AND RUNUP; I PICKED UP ATIS INFO. AS I RECEIVED ALTIMETER SETTING; I SET THE KOLLSMAN WINDOW TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE CORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING. DURING THE PREVIOUS DAY A FRONTAL PASSAGE HAD RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN PRESSURE. WHEN I ADJUSTED THE ALTIMETER TO REFLECT THE CURRENT BAROMETRIC PRESSURE; I TURNED IT TO THE NEAREST NUMBER TO END IN .33. THIS RESULTED IN MY SETTING 29.33 WHEN 30.33 WAS THE PROPER SETTING. FOLLOWING AN UNEVENTFUL TAXI AND TKOF; I WAS CLRED ON A 360 DEG VECTOR UP TO 5000 FT MSL. DUE TO MY IMPROPER KOLLSMAN WINDOW SETTING; I LEVELED AT 6000 FT MSL ALTHOUGH MY ALTIMETER INDICATED 5000 FT MSL. MKE DEP QUESTIONED MY REQUESTING ALT. I RESPONDED 5000 FT. DEP STATED THEY SHOWED ME LEVEL 6000 FT. I REQUESTED A CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING. AFTER RECEIVING A 30.33 (APPROX) SETTING; THE PROB WAS LOCATED. AT THIS POINT; I MADE ATC AWARE OF MY MISTAKE; AND DSNDED TO 5000 FT MSL. I APOLOGIZED AND WAS ADVISED NO PROB EXISTED. ONE NOTE: WHEN HANDED OFF FROM TWR TO DEP; I CHKED IN 1100 FT MSL (APPROX) CLBING 5000 FT MSL R TURN 360 DEGS. THIS PASSING ALT WAS ACTUALLY 2100 FT MSL AND WAS NOT NOTED BY MKE DEP. IN RETROSPECT; I BELIEVE THIS SIT RESULTED FROM COMPLACENCY. I HAD FLOWN THIS SCHEDULED RTE MANY TIMES BEFORE AND ON A CLR NIGHT WAS VERY COMFORTABLE WITH IT. I THINK THIS RELAXED ATMOSPHERE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A LACK OF ATTN TO DETAIL WAS CAUSE OF MY CLBING THROUGH THE ASSIGNED ALT.