Altitude deviation overshoot on descent.

Attributes
ACN	117833
Time
Date	198907
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ict
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ict
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 20000
ASRS Report	117833
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Air ambulance flight carrying a pregnant women with severe complications to medical center. Patient very sensitive to turbulence. Major effort was made to stay clear of building cumulus and pockets of turbulent WX. Approximately 60 mi out given pilot's discretion clearance from 15000 to 7000'. Chose to stay at 15000' until 35 mi out to avoid turbulent air. Also given clearance to deviate for WX and proceed direct to destination when able. In the concerted effort to avoid WX and turbulence and skirting build-ups, we inadvertently descended to 6500' at which time approach advised that we were assigned 7000'. We immediately returned to 7000' advising of our situation. He then responded by getting us to 6000' which was much better for the patient.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOOT ON DESCENT.

Narrative: AIR AMBULANCE FLT CARRYING A PREGNANT WOMEN WITH SEVERE COMPLICATIONS TO MEDICAL CENTER. PATIENT VERY SENSITIVE TO TURB. MAJOR EFFORT WAS MADE TO STAY CLR OF BUILDING CUMULUS AND POCKETS OF TURBULENT WX. APPROX 60 MI OUT GIVEN PLT'S DISCRETION CLRNC FROM 15000 TO 7000'. CHOSE TO STAY AT 15000' UNTIL 35 MI OUT TO AVOID TURBULENT AIR. ALSO GIVEN CLRNC TO DEVIATE FOR WX AND PROCEED DIRECT TO DEST WHEN ABLE. IN THE CONCERTED EFFORT TO AVOID WX AND TURB AND SKIRTING BUILD-UPS, WE INADVERTENTLY DSNDED TO 6500' AT WHICH TIME APCH ADVISED THAT WE WERE ASSIGNED 7000'. WE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO 7000' ADVISING OF OUR SITUATION. HE THEN RESPONDED BY GETTING US TO 6000' WHICH WAS MUCH BETTER FOR THE PATIENT.

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.