Altitude deviation. Overshoot on descent. Medical emergency onboard.

Attributes
ACN	145785
Time
Date	199005
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11700 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 148 flight time total : 8464 flight time type : 406
ASRS Report	145785
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	146194
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

A female passenger went into intense prenatal labor en route mco-cvg. Requested expeditious handling and high speed descent into cvg, which was granted by ATC. During descent, cvg approach control gave us clearance to 12000', about 40 NM southeast of cvg VOR. We leveled at 12000', and soon thereafter, in our effort to expedite our arrival and establish visibility contact with the airport, we inadvertently descended slightly below 12000'. At that point the controller cleared us to 10000'. He made no comment about our passing 12000'. I believe we may have been previously cleared below 12000'. We were concentrating on the situation at hand and our desire and need to land as soon as possible. The remainder of the descent and approach were uneventful. Supplemental information from acn 146194: we requested high speed below 10000'. Approach responded, 'high airspeed below 10000 is approved.' at 10400' approach said, 'clear of traffic, descend maintain 6000.' I noticed that 12000' was set on the altitude alerter. Either we had been given a lower altitude previously and forgot to reset the alerter or we descended through an assigned altitude. In our effort to expedite our arrival, we flew at 350 KTS below 10000'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION. OVERSHOOT ON DESCENT. MEDICAL EMERGENCY ONBOARD.

Narrative: A FEMALE PAX WENT INTO INTENSE PRENATAL LABOR ENRTE MCO-CVG. REQUESTED EXPEDITIOUS HANDLING AND HIGH SPD DSNT INTO CVG, WHICH WAS GRANTED BY ATC. DURING DSNT, CVG APCH CTL GAVE US CLRNC TO 12000', ABOUT 40 NM SE OF CVG VOR. WE LEVELED AT 12000', AND SOON THEREAFTER, IN OUR EFFORT TO EXPEDITE OUR ARR AND ESTABLISH VIS CONTACT WITH THE ARPT, WE INADVERTENTLY DSNDED SLIGHTLY BELOW 12000'. AT THAT POINT THE CTLR CLRED US TO 10000'. HE MADE NO COMMENT ABOUT OUR PASSING 12000'. I BELIEVE WE MAY HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY CLRED BELOW 12000'. WE WERE CONCENTRATING ON THE SITUATION AT HAND AND OUR DESIRE AND NEED TO LAND ASAP. THE REMAINDER OF THE DSNT AND APCH WERE UNEVENTFUL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 146194: WE REQUESTED HIGH SPD BELOW 10000'. APCH RESPONDED, 'HIGH AIRSPD BELOW 10000 IS APPROVED.' AT 10400' APCH SAID, 'CLR OF TFC, DSND MAINTAIN 6000.' I NOTICED THAT 12000' WAS SET ON THE ALT ALERTER. EITHER WE HAD BEEN GIVEN A LOWER ALT PREVIOUSLY AND FORGOT TO RESET THE ALERTER OR WE DSNDED THROUGH AN ASSIGNED ALT. IN OUR EFFORT TO EXPEDITE OUR ARR, WE FLEW AT 350 KTS BELOW 10000'.

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.