Altitude bust. Potential conflict.

Attributes
ACN	144184
Time
Date	199004
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6200 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 90
ASRS Report	144180
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On flight from dca to mem we had an altitude deviation while descending into mem. We were at 9000' cleared to 7000'. First officer was flying. I called '2 to go' at 9000', '1 to go' at 8000' and was looking out the window for the airport when ATC called saying our assigned altitude was 7000'. I said, 'roger, 7000.' nothing more said for about seconds when another airline said, 'what altitude is that guy supposed to be at?' approach said 7000'. When approach told us assigned altitude was 7000' I saw 6500' in the altimeter. The altitude got to about 6200' before climbing back to 7000'. I called msp approach to get mem approach phone #. The msp approach supervisor said he would call mem. They said an altitude deviation was filed. We should have been paying more attention. It was the first officer's second trip with the airline.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST. POTENTIAL CONFLICT.

Narrative: ON FLT FROM DCA TO MEM WE HAD AN ALT DEVIATION WHILE DSNDING INTO MEM. WE WERE AT 9000' CLRED TO 7000'. F/O WAS FLYING. I CALLED '2 TO GO' AT 9000', '1 TO GO' AT 8000' AND WAS LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW FOR THE ARPT WHEN ATC CALLED SAYING OUR ASSIGNED ALT WAS 7000'. I SAID, 'ROGER, 7000.' NOTHING MORE SAID FOR ABOUT SECS WHEN ANOTHER AIRLINE SAID, 'WHAT ALT IS THAT GUY SUPPOSED TO BE AT?' APCH SAID 7000'. WHEN APCH TOLD US ASSIGNED ALT WAS 7000' I SAW 6500' IN THE ALTIMETER. THE ALT GOT TO ABOUT 6200' BEFORE CLBING BACK TO 7000'. I CALLED MSP APCH TO GET MEM APCH PHONE #. THE MSP APCH SUPVR SAID HE WOULD CALL MEM. THEY SAID AN ALT DEV WAS FILED. WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING MORE ATTN. IT WAS THE F/O'S SECOND TRIP WITH THE AIRLINE.

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.