Air carrier aircraft got about 500' low six miles from the runway on a visual approach.

Attributes
ACN	147025
Time
Date	199005
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1300 agl bound upper : 1300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : iah
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 10000
ASRS Report	147025
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On approach to runway 27, iah, VFR conditions, runway in sight, cleared for visibility approach. 3-4000' AGL proper ILS frequency and course selected. With first officer hand flying I went inside the cockpit to electronically extend the runway centerline on our pfd's. When I looked up the aircraft was approximately 1300' AGL six mi from the runway. Tower advised to check our altitude as we were some 500' lower than we should be at that point. Level of experience of the PF was a contributing factor, but I think it also underlines the need for all crew members to never leave the loop during critical phases of flight to perform unnecessary heads down state of the art 'button pushing'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ACFT GOT ABOUT 500' LOW SIX MILES FROM THE RWY ON A VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: ON APCH TO RWY 27, IAH, VFR CONDITIONS, RWY IN SIGHT, CLRED FOR VIS APCH. 3-4000' AGL PROPER ILS FREQ AND COURSE SELECTED. WITH F/O HAND FLYING I WENT INSIDE THE COCKPIT TO ELECTRONICALLY EXTEND THE RWY CTRLINE ON OUR PFD'S. WHEN I LOOKED UP THE ACFT WAS APPROX 1300' AGL SIX MI FROM THE RWY. TWR ADVISED TO CHK OUR ALT AS WE WERE SOME 500' LOWER THAN WE SHOULD BE AT THAT POINT. LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE OF THE PF WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, BUT I THINK IT ALSO UNDERLINES THE NEED FOR ALL CREW MEMBERS TO NEVER LEAVE THE LOOP DURING CRITICAL PHASES OF FLT TO PERFORM UNNECESSARY HEADS DOWN STATE OF THE ART 'BUTTON PUSHING'.

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.