Given a clearance to descend; emb-145 flight crew entered the descent altitude and set 1;000 FPM des...

Narrative:

While level at 6;000 approach issued a descent to 5;000 ft. 5;000 was entered into the altitude selector and verified by both pilots; vertical speed -1;000 was selected. While discussing the arrival...; ATC asked us to state our altitude and why we were climbing. When we looked at the altitude we were at 6;500 ft. I immediately got the airplane down to the new assigned altitude of 5;000 ft. The main threat for this approach was that they were using the...visual to [runway] 29; which neither the pilot not flying or pilot flying had done in several months; so while discussing the arrival we got off on altitude. We were also in between scattered layers of clouds and continuous light to moderate chop.it would have been wise to actually ensure that the aircraft was descending to the selected altitude before returning to the arrival briefing. Even though the instrumentation showed 5;000 set and vertical speed -1;000 selected we should have actually ensured that the aircraft was in the descent.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Given a clearance to descend; EMB-145 flight crew entered the descent altitude and set 1;000 FPM descent rate in FMS. As the crew briefed the approach; ATC alerted them to the fact that the aircraft was climbing.

Narrative: While level at 6;000 Approach issued a descent to 5;000 FT. 5;000 was entered into the altitude selector and verified by both pilots; vertical speed -1;000 was selected. While discussing the arrival...; ATC asked us to state our altitude and why we were climbing. When we looked at the altitude we were at 6;500 FT. I immediately got the airplane down to the new assigned altitude of 5;000 FT. The main threat for this approach was that they were using the...visual to [Runway] 29; which neither the pilot not flying or pilot flying had done in several months; so while discussing the arrival we got off on altitude. We were also in between scattered layers of clouds and continuous light to moderate chop.It would have been wise to actually ensure that the aircraft was descending to the selected altitude before returning to the arrival briefing. Even though the instrumentation showed 5;000 set and vertical speed -1;000 selected we should have actually ensured that the aircraft was in the descent.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Attributes
ACN	1141767
Time
Date	201401
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Component
Aircraft Component	Autoflight System
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Flying
Person 2
Function	Pilot Not Flying Captain
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence

Given a clearance to descend; emb-145 flight crew entered the descent altitude and set 1;000 FPM descent rate in FMS. As the crew briefed the approach; ATC alerted them to the fact that the aircraft was climbing.