Altitude deviation on approach to dfw, during rapid descent.

Attributes
ACN	133808
Time
Date	199001
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	133808
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 147 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	133791
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
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:

Descending on a 170 degree heading from arina, we were asked to give a rapid descent to 5000'. We were also given traffic to look for. The captain also began a turn to the left. He later said he thought approach gave us an 070 degree heading. We were using speed brakes to get down quickly. This was my second leg with this captain and I noticed that he had a habit of silencing the altitude alert as soon as it sounded. (He continued to do this on the rest of the trip.) basically, he got busy and descended through the altitude and I was busy looking for traffic and failed to advise him. I didn't notice the altitude until we were at 4300' at which time I advised him and he leveled at 4000'. The F/east also didn't notice the altitude until it was too late. To prevent a recurrence of this problem, all cockpit crew members must be more vigilant and back each other up. Silencing the altitude alert system is, in my opinion, a big mistake.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION ON APCH TO DFW, DURING RAPID DESCENT.

Narrative: DSNDING ON A 170 DEG HDG FROM ARINA, WE WERE ASKED TO GIVE A RAPID DSCNT TO 5000'. WE WERE ALSO GIVEN TFC TO LOOK FOR. THE CAPT ALSO BEGAN A TURN TO THE LEFT. HE LATER SAID HE THOUGHT APCH GAVE US AN 070 DEG HDG. WE WERE USING SPD BRAKES TO GET DOWN QUICKLY. THIS WAS MY SECOND LEG WITH THIS CAPT AND I NOTICED THAT HE HAD A HABIT OF SILENCING THE ALT ALERT AS SOON AS IT SOUNDED. (HE CONTINUED TO DO THIS ON THE REST OF THE TRIP.) BASICALLY, HE GOT BUSY AND DSNDED THROUGH THE ALT AND I WAS BUSY LOOKING FOR TFC AND FAILED TO ADVISE HIM. I DIDN'T NOTICE THE ALT UNTIL WE WERE AT 4300' AT WHICH TIME I ADVISED HIM AND HE LEVELED AT 4000'. THE F/E ALSO DIDN'T NOTICE THE ALT UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF THIS PROB, ALL COCKPIT CREW MEMBERS MUST BE MORE VIGILANT AND BACK EACH OTHER UP. SILENCING THE ALT ALERT SYS IS, IN MY OPINION, A BIG MISTAKE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.