Flight crew of medium large transport overshoots altitude on descent.

Attributes
ACN	116305
Time
Date	198907
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : spa
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : ztl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	116305
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 7800
ASRS Report	116018
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During descent from cruise altitude to 11,000 with atl center 50 DME west of spa, we inadvertently went through assigned altitude of 11,000. At the time we were circumnaving moderate embedded thunderstorms. Turbulence was heavy. Captain advised me to immediately have F/a's take their seats. 300-500' deviation while trying to contact F/a's, deviation occurred. Compounding factors: 1) late descent clearance from center (3000 FPM descent). 2) heavy turbulence/rain. 3) urgency of getting F/a's seated for their safety. 4) third day of radically new company operating procedures. Preoccupation with new checklist flows and procedures reduced time available for PNF to monitor PF.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG OVERSHOOTS ALT ON DESCENT.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT FROM CRUISE ALT TO 11,000 WITH ATL CENTER 50 DME W OF SPA, WE INADVERTENTLY WENT THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT OF 11,000. AT THE TIME WE WERE CIRCUMNAVING MODERATE EMBEDDED TSTMS. TURBULENCE WAS HEAVY. CAPT ADVISED ME TO IMMEDIATELY HAVE F/A'S TAKE THEIR SEATS. 300-500' DEVIATION WHILE TRYING TO CONTACT F/A'S, DEVIATION OCCURRED. COMPOUNDING FACTORS: 1) LATE DSCNT CLRNC FROM CENTER (3000 FPM DSCNT). 2) HEAVY TURB/RAIN. 3) URGENCY OF GETTING F/A'S SEATED FOR THEIR SAFETY. 4) THIRD DAY OF RADICALLY NEW COMPANY OPERATING PROCS. PREOCCUPATION WITH NEW CHECKLIST FLOWS AND PROCS REDUCED TIME AVAILABLE FOR PNF TO MONITOR PF.

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.