Altitude overshot during descent in ord area.

Attributes
ACN	151808
Time
Date	199007
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6600 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	151808
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 350 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	151728
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight had originated in lga and involved extensive delays for severe WX. Aircraft had just half air conditioning on the ground and after 2 1/2 hours on the ground at lga awaiting takeoff, the passenger were very upset. (Temperature inside aircraft was approximately 90 degree F). Both VHF radios gave us trouble throughout the flight adding to the confusion. I was apparently distracted by all of these events during the descent. We had been cleared to 7000' and I descended thru it. The altitude alert and the first officer noted the deviation simultaneously at 6700'. The controller immediately cleared us to 6000' as I stopped the descent at 6600'. He then queried us as to whether we had been cleared to 7000'. We responded affirmative and another voice came on and said 'so that's why you flew thru it.' (sarcastically). Callback conversation with reporter revealed following information. Reporter said that he was mentally preoccupied thinking about the extensive delays they had incurred in lga at the beginning of this flight. A 2:15 ground hold, return to the blocks and a further 30 minute delay after the second block departure caused many irate passenger and added significantly to flight crew fatigue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OVERSHOT DURING DESCENT IN ORD AREA.

Narrative: FLT HAD ORIGINATED IN LGA AND INVOLVED EXTENSIVE DELAYS FOR SEVERE WX. ACFT HAD JUST HALF AIR CONDITIONING ON THE GND AND AFTER 2 1/2 HOURS ON THE GND AT LGA AWAITING TKOF, THE PAX WERE VERY UPSET. (TEMP INSIDE ACFT WAS APPROX 90 DEG F). BOTH VHF RADIOS GAVE US TROUBLE THROUGHOUT THE FLT ADDING TO THE CONFUSION. I WAS APPARENTLY DISTRACTED BY ALL OF THESE EVENTS DURING THE DSNT. WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 7000' AND I DSNDED THRU IT. THE ALT ALERT AND THE F/O NOTED THE DEVIATION SIMULTANEOUSLY AT 6700'. THE CTLR IMMEDIATELY CLRED US TO 6000' AS I STOPPED THE DSNT AT 6600'. HE THEN QUERIED US AS TO WHETHER WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 7000'. WE RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVE AND ANOTHER VOICE CAME ON AND SAID 'SO THAT'S WHY YOU FLEW THRU IT.' (SARCASTICALLY). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR SAID THAT HE WAS MENTALLY PREOCCUPIED THINKING ABOUT THE EXTENSIVE DELAYS THEY HAD INCURRED IN LGA AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS FLT. A 2:15 GND HOLD, RETURN TO THE BLOCKS AND A FURTHER 30 MINUTE DELAY AFTER THE SECOND BLOCK DEP CAUSED MANY IRATE PAX AND ADDED SIGNIFICANTLY TO FLT CREW FATIGUE.

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.