Narrative:

On the second leg of my IOE trip, after having flown as captain on the medium large transport with a class cockpit for a yr, I was flying an large transport as captain on descent into ord. Out of 22000 for 21000', the IOE check airman brought up a subject of technique and while in this discussion I heard the altitude alert. On discovering I had descended below 20700', I immediately added thrust and climbed back to 21000'. ATC asked if we were leveling at FL210. Besides the obvious problem of not allowing myself to be distracted at this point, it is my opinion that the transition from a glass cockpit to a non-glass definitely contributed to this altitude bust. The glass avionics won't let you below the altitude set in the MCP. My habit patterns have changed into 1 of passively monitoring that everything is going as programmed instead of actively flying the aircraft. A great deal of attention has been placed on transitioning to a glass cockpit, but none has been given to the opp transition. Supplemental information from acn 148606: after reviewing the sequence of events, I have come ot the following conclusions as to the reasons this happened: during the chkout process of a new captain or first officer, the line check airman has occasion to instruct, critique, review and question the PF. During the descent I was having a discussion with the PF on technique, which created a distraction for all 3 crew members--to the point that no one remembers hearing or seeing the altitude alert. I chose the wrong time to hole this discussion and it adversely affected our situational awareness.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT ON IOE TRANSITIONING FROM GLASS COCKPIT TO CONVENTIONAL COCKPIT HAS ALT DEVIATION.

Narrative: ON THE SECOND LEG OF MY IOE TRIP, AFTER HAVING FLOWN AS CAPT ON THE MLG WITH A CLASS COCKPIT FOR A YR, I WAS FLYING AN LGT AS CAPT ON DSNT INTO ORD. OUT OF 22000 FOR 21000', THE IOE CHK AIRMAN BROUGHT UP A SUBJECT OF TECHNIQUE AND WHILE IN THIS DISCUSSION I HEARD THE ALT ALERT. ON DISCOVERING I HAD DSNDED BELOW 20700', I IMMEDIATELY ADDED THRUST AND CLBED BACK TO 21000'. ATC ASKED IF WE WERE LEVELING AT FL210. BESIDES THE OBVIOUS PROB OF NOT ALLOWING MYSELF TO BE DISTRACTED AT THIS POINT, IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE TRANSITION FROM A GLASS COCKPIT TO A NON-GLASS DEFINITELY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ALT BUST. THE GLASS AVIONICS WON'T LET YOU BELOW THE ALT SET IN THE MCP. MY HABIT PATTERNS HAVE CHANGED INTO 1 OF PASSIVELY MONITORING THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING AS PROGRAMMED INSTEAD OF ACTIVELY FLYING THE ACFT. A GREAT DEAL OF ATTN HAS BEEN PLACED ON TRANSITIONING TO A GLASS COCKPIT, BUT NONE HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE OPP TRANSITION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 148606: AFTER REVIEWING THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS, I HAVE COME OT THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS AS TO THE REASONS THIS HAPPENED: DURING THE CHKOUT PROCESS OF A NEW CAPT OR F/O, THE LINE CHK AIRMAN HAS OCCASION TO INSTRUCT, CRITIQUE, REVIEW AND QUESTION THE PF. DURING THE DSNT I WAS HAVING A DISCUSSION WITH THE PF ON TECHNIQUE, WHICH CREATED A DISTR FOR ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS--TO THE POINT THAT NO ONE REMEMBERS HEARING OR SEEING THE ALT ALERT. I CHOSE THE WRONG TIME TO HOLE THIS DISCUSSION AND IT ADVERSELY AFFECTED OUR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.

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.