Captain flying on descent overshot assigned altitude, turned off mode C.

Attributes
ACN	117324
Time
Date	198907
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mmj
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5700 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	117324
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Captain flying aircraft. Captain reading newspaper. A 6000' altitude restriction received. First officer calls '1000' to gl'. Captain acknowledges. The exact same situation occurred the day before. First officer fully expected captain to level aircraft at assigned altitude. First officer talking to controller and looking for traffic outside cockpit, while captain descends thru altitude to 5700'. He turns mode C off. Controllers say nothing. First officer is highly irritated with this captain for such unprofessional behavior and his high disregard for safety and responsibility.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT FLYING ON DESCENT OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT, TURNED OFF MODE C.

Narrative: CAPT FLYING ACFT. CAPT READING NEWSPAPER. A 6000' ALT RESTRICTION RECEIVED. F/O CALLS '1000' TO GL'. CAPT ACKNOWLEDGES. THE EXACT SAME SITUATION OCCURRED THE DAY BEFORE. F/O FULLY EXPECTED CAPT TO LEVEL ACFT AT ASSIGNED ALT. F/O TALKING TO CTLR AND LOOKING FOR TFC OUTSIDE COCKPIT, WHILE CAPT DESCENDS THRU ALT TO 5700'. HE TURNS MODE C OFF. CTLRS SAY NOTHING. F/O IS HIGHLY IRRITATED WITH THIS CAPT FOR SUCH UNPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR AND HIS HIGH DISREGARD FOR SAFETY AND RESPONSIBILITY.

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.