Narrative:

The altitude deviation occurred while being vectored to final for the ILS 19R into mke. While on a base vector I noticed that neither of our ghost needles had popped up so I went heads down into the FMS to make sure the right approach was loaded. It was not so I began loading the ILS 19R during the high workload situation. The most current altitude clearance at that time was to 2800 feet which was the GS intercept altitude. At some point while loading the correct approach we were given a new clearance with an intercept heading of 220; maintain 2800 feet until established; cleared for the ILS 19R approach. Once established on final ATC reiterated to maintain 2800 feet at which point I looked at the altitude selector set to 2100 feet for unknown reasons. I replied to ATC that we were climbing back up to 2800 feet at which point he sent us over to tower.the deviation was brought to our attention when ATC repeated that our clearance was to maintain 2800 until established. At that point I looked at the altitude selector and saw the wrong altitude selected. The event occurred because I was fixing a mistake I made earlier in the flight; my first officer was task saturated; and we did not follow SOP for altitude changes and confirmation. I was not made aware or realized that he had selected a new altitude in the altitude selector. We climbed back up to our assigned altitude and continued the approach with no further issues. This could have been prevented had I not been distracted by the FMS and we had followed sops when selecting a new altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ-900 flight crew reported descending below cleared altitude on approach to MKE due to distractions; workload; and failure to follow SOP.

Narrative: The altitude deviation occurred while being vectored to final for the ILS 19R into MKE. While on a base vector I noticed that neither of our ghost needles had popped up so I went heads down into the FMS to make sure the right approach was loaded. It was not so I began loading the ILS 19R during the high workload situation. The most current altitude clearance at that time was to 2800 feet which was the GS intercept altitude. At some point while loading the correct approach we were given a new clearance with an intercept heading of 220; maintain 2800 feet until established; cleared for the ILS 19R approach. Once established on final ATC reiterated to maintain 2800 feet at which point I looked at the altitude selector set to 2100 feet for unknown reasons. I replied to ATC that we were climbing back up to 2800 feet at which point he sent us over to tower.The deviation was brought to our attention when ATC repeated that our clearance was to maintain 2800 until established. At that point I looked at the altitude selector and saw the wrong altitude selected. The event occurred because I was fixing a mistake I made earlier in the flight; my first officer was task saturated; and we did not follow SOP for altitude changes and confirmation. I was not made aware or realized that he had selected a new altitude in the altitude selector. We climbed back up to our assigned altitude and continued the approach with no further issues. This could have been prevented had I not been distracted by the FMS and we had followed SOPs when selecting a new altitude.

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.