Large transport overshoots assigned altitude in descent.

Attributes
ACN	154396
Time
Date	199008
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jst
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27600 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
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 airway : j152
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 : 150 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	154396
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	154154
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft 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:

I recently returned to the large transport after 5 yrs. I received 5 days ground school and 35 min periods and check ride, performance good. IOE in aircraft 10 hours. (Requalification) I was then returned to the medium large transport for 90 days. I then came back to the large transport. Received 4 hours IOE, performance good and was released to the line. There are 5 models large transport and 5 models medium large transport I was dual qualified. There are several awi's on our various models of aircraft. They vary from lights to buzzers and some with both. I am aware of the increased noise level in the large transport and have been on guard for this and have stressed this with my crew. In spite of this precaution today we did pass through our altitude near johnstown, PA, by a couple of hundred feet. We immediately realized our error and corrected our altitude by climbing back to it (we were descending). All calls were made by the first officer and an altitude awareness procedures were used. The small deviation did not reactivate the low-altitude warning. There was no conflict. As we leveled at our assigned altitude, the controller asked us our altitude. We told him we were level at 28000'. No further comments were made. If I could point my finger at something I would have to say going back to the medium large transport did not help. This is my second trip on the large transport since returning from the medium large transport. Dual qualification leaves you with less than a totally familiar feeling of the aircraft. I personally do not like it. 10 different models of aircraft is a bit much plus 2 vs 3 man crew. Altitude level off on some and not on others and differences with awi's all contribute to the distraction that can lead to an altitude excursion. It is one of the most insidious pitfalls in this profession. Automatic level off helps! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter described in more detail the differences between the different models and series aircraft he flies. He also delved into his dissatisfaction with the training provided by his airline.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT OVERSHOOTS ASSIGNED ALT IN DESCENT.

Narrative: I RECENTLY RETURNED TO THE LGT AFTER 5 YRS. I RECEIVED 5 DAYS GND SCHOOL AND 35 MIN PERIODS AND CHK RIDE, PERFORMANCE GOOD. IOE IN ACFT 10 HRS. (REQUALIFICATION) I WAS THEN RETURNED TO THE MLG FOR 90 DAYS. I THEN CAME BACK TO THE LGT. RECEIVED 4 HRS IOE, PERFORMANCE GOOD AND WAS RELEASED TO THE LINE. THERE ARE 5 MODELS LGT AND 5 MODELS MLG I WAS DUAL QUALIFIED. THERE ARE SEVERAL AWI'S ON OUR VARIOUS MODELS OF ACFT. THEY VARY FROM LIGHTS TO BUZZERS AND SOME WITH BOTH. I AM AWARE OF THE INCREASED NOISE LEVEL IN THE LGT AND HAVE BEEN ON GUARD FOR THIS AND HAVE STRESSED THIS WITH MY CREW. IN SPITE OF THIS PRECAUTION TODAY WE DID PASS THROUGH OUR ALT NEAR JOHNSTOWN, PA, BY A COUPLE OF HUNDRED FEET. WE IMMEDIATELY REALIZED OUR ERROR AND CORRECTED OUR ALT BY CLBING BACK TO IT (WE WERE DSNDING). ALL CALLS WERE MADE BY THE F/O AND AN ALT AWARENESS PROCS WERE USED. THE SMALL DEVIATION DID NOT REACTIVATE THE LOW-ALT WARNING. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. AS WE LEVELED AT OUR ASSIGNED ALT, THE CTLR ASKED US OUR ALT. WE TOLD HIM WE WERE LEVEL AT 28000'. NO FURTHER COMMENTS WERE MADE. IF I COULD POINT MY FINGER AT SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE TO SAY GOING BACK TO THE MLG DID NOT HELP. THIS IS MY SECOND TRIP ON THE LGT SINCE RETURNING FROM THE MLG. DUAL QUALIFICATION LEAVES YOU WITH LESS THAN A TOTALLY FAMILIAR FEELING OF THE ACFT. I PERSONALLY DO NOT LIKE IT. 10 DIFFERENT MODELS OF ACFT IS A BIT MUCH PLUS 2 VS 3 MAN CREW. ALT LEVEL OFF ON SOME AND NOT ON OTHERS AND DIFFERENCES WITH AWI'S ALL CONTRIBUTE TO THE DISTR THAT CAN LEAD TO AN ALT EXCURSION. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST INSIDIOUS PITFALLS IN THIS PROFESSION. AUTO LEVEL OFF HELPS! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR DESCRIBED IN MORE DETAIL THE DIFFERENCES BTWN THE DIFFERENT MODELS AND SERIES ACFT HE FLIES. HE ALSO DELVED INTO HIS DISSATISFACTION WITH THE TRAINING PROVIDED BY HIS 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.