Flight crew of large transport violates sterile cockpit concept by discussing company use of scabs and promptly overshoots clearance altitude on descent.

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Attributes
ACN	118974
Time
Date	198908
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dtw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	118974
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While manually flying aircraft to level at 7000', entire cockpit was discussing airline hiring retired military to possibly scab during strike. As I passed my altitude my thoughts were deeply involved with state of airline industry labor relations. At 6500' approach questioned what altitude we would level at. Although there was no conflict and approach reclred us to 6000', if we adhered to sterile cockpit this situation probably would not have occurred.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT VIOLATES STERILE COCKPIT CONCEPT BY DISCUSSING COMPANY USE OF SCABS AND PROMPTLY OVERSHOOTS CLRNC ALT ON DESCENT.

Narrative: WHILE MANUALLY FLYING ACFT TO LEVEL AT 7000', ENTIRE COCKPIT WAS DISCUSSING AIRLINE HIRING RETIRED MIL TO POSSIBLY SCAB DURING STRIKE. AS I PASSED MY ALT MY THOUGHTS WERE DEEPLY INVOLVED WITH STATE OF AIRLINE INDUSTRY LABOR RELATIONS. AT 6500' APCH QUESTIONED WHAT ALT WE WOULD LEVEL AT. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND APCH RECLRED US TO 6000', IF WE ADHERED TO STERILE COCKPIT THIS SITUATION PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED.

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.