Distracted pilot deviated from assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	113804
Time
Date	198906
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : etx
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cle
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	113804
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	114521
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 9000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Captain flying, I'm working radios. In descent for approach, cleared to 11,000'. Captain talking on PA and right when signing off to people, controller advises us of traffic at 11 O'clock, 3 mi, opposite direction at 10,000'. Captain only catches the 10,000 and believed it was for us to descend to because I acknowledged the transmission. He reset altitude window to 10,000 and continued to handfly the descent through 11,000'. Upon seeing him go through 11,000 I called out immediately 11,000 and called center to confirm assigned altitude. Center verified 11,000 but by this time the aircraft had descended to 10,500 before captain brought aircraft back up to 11,000. Conflicting traffic is spotted on ascent at 11 O'clock and 1 1/2 mi. Cause of mistake was captain's distractions (hand flying, talking on PA) and not using proper crew coordination to confirm altitude change with me prior to descending through 11,000'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISTRACTED PLT DEVIATED FROM ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: CAPT FLYING, I'M WORKING RADIOS. IN DSCNT FOR APCH, CLRED TO 11,000'. CAPT TALKING ON PA AND RIGHT WHEN SIGNING OFF TO PEOPLE, CTLR ADVISES US OF TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK, 3 MI, OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT 10,000'. CAPT ONLY CATCHES THE 10,000 AND BELIEVED IT WAS FOR US TO DSND TO BECAUSE I ACKNOWLEDGED THE XMISSION. HE RESET ALT WINDOW TO 10,000 AND CONTINUED TO HANDFLY THE DSCNT THROUGH 11,000'. UPON SEEING HIM GO THROUGH 11,000 I CALLED OUT IMMEDIATELY 11,000 AND CALLED CENTER TO CONFIRM ASSIGNED ALT. CENTER VERIFIED 11,000 BUT BY THIS TIME THE ACFT HAD DESCENDED TO 10,500 BEFORE CAPT BROUGHT ACFT BACK UP TO 11,000. CONFLICTING TFC IS SPOTTED ON ASCENT AT 11 O'CLOCK AND 1 1/2 MI. CAUSE OF MISTAKE WAS CAPT'S DISTRACTIONS (HAND FLYING, TALKING ON PA) AND NOT USING PROPER CREW COORD TO CONFIRM ALT CHANGE WITH ME PRIOR TO DESCENDING THROUGH 11,000'.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.