Narrative:

Outbnd from perks to hvq on J-6 at FL350 in light chop, requested FL310 because aircraft ahead were reporting FL310 smooth and FL350 choppy. 2 contacts with center requesting FL350. Aircraft ahead also requesting lower. Center had aircraft in front of our flight at FL310. Told to standby. ZID came back, 'descend to FL330, turn right 20 degree or 280 degree heading'. We acknowledged. At the time this was taking place, we were receiving SIGMET reports from ftw dispatch as to the WX in dfw area. Also, F/a came into cockpit saying that they could not make contact with flight deck from rear. PNF (captain) was attempting to read SIGMET and decide whether to request a change in alternate because of WX. Now the F/a returned to cockpit to report they were calling us. From back, first officer requested they push reset button on handset and it will probably fix the problem. With this scenario set, center cleared us to FL330 with right turn 20 degree or 280 degree heading. First officer set heading and altitude window to FL310. Captain read back clearance 20 degree right and FL330. First officer commenced descent out of FL325. Controller asked if we were stopping at FL330. We saw we were below. First officer thought we were to go to FL310. I thought he had set FL330. Descent stopped and climb back to FL330 started immediately.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB OVERSHOOTS ALT IN DESCENT.

Narrative: OUTBND FROM PERKS TO HVQ ON J-6 AT FL350 IN LIGHT CHOP, REQUESTED FL310 BECAUSE ACFT AHEAD WERE RPTING FL310 SMOOTH AND FL350 CHOPPY. 2 CONTACTS WITH CTR REQUESTING FL350. ACFT AHEAD ALSO REQUESTING LOWER. CTR HAD ACFT IN FRONT OF OUR FLT AT FL310. TOLD TO STANDBY. ZID CAME BACK, 'DSND TO FL330, TURN R 20 DEG OR 280 DEG HDG'. WE ACKNOWLEDGED. AT THE TIME THIS WAS TAKING PLACE, WE WERE RECEIVING SIGMET RPTS FROM FTW DISPATCH AS TO THE WX IN DFW AREA. ALSO, F/A CAME INTO COCKPIT SAYING THAT THEY COULD NOT MAKE CONTACT WITH FLT DECK FROM REAR. PNF (CAPT) WAS ATTEMPTING TO READ SIGMET AND DECIDE WHETHER TO REQUEST A CHANGE IN ALTERNATE BECAUSE OF WX. NOW THE F/A RETURNED TO COCKPIT TO RPT THEY WERE CALLING US. FROM BACK, F/O REQUESTED THEY PUSH RESET BUTTON ON HANDSET AND IT WILL PROBABLY FIX THE PROB. WITH THIS SCENARIO SET, CTR CLRED US TO FL330 WITH R TURN 20 DEG OR 280 DEG HDG. F/O SET HDG AND ALT WINDOW TO FL310. CAPT READ BACK CLRNC 20 DEG R AND FL330. F/O COMMENCED DSNT OUT OF FL325. CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE STOPPING AT FL330. WE SAW WE WERE BELOW. F/O THOUGHT WE WERE TO GO TO FL310. I THOUGHT HE HAD SET FL330. DSNT STOPPED AND CLB BACK TO FL330 STARTED IMMEDIATELY.

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.