Altitude overshot on descent.

Attributes
ACN	157426
Time
Date	199009
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4650 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 105 flight time total : 6790 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	157426
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 135 flight time total : 9778 flight time type : 4400
ASRS Report	157074
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
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:

Prior contributing factors: short layover less than 8 hours of rest with no time for meals. Less than fully alert when events snowballed. Were given a turn and descent concurrently. During these maneuvers, stabilizer out of trim light illuminated. Disengaged autoplt. Aircraft pitched down hard, required considerable nose up trim to reduce heavy nose down pressure. Aircraft descended 350-400' below assigned altitude before all was normalized. Comments: not enough emphasis is placed on good crew rest. There is so much publicity given to drug and alcohol problems which are miniscule in comparison to the dangers posed by fatigued crews. It seems like every time that I have 2 long flying days split by a short layover, I have to submit a NASA report for some fatigue related incident! Eight hours behind the door is not enough. One cannot immediately fall asleep after the completion of a duty period, and that 8 hours includes the time required to shower and get ready in the morning and ride to the airport. The result is 5 1/2 to 6 hours rest, dangerous!!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OVERSHOT ON DESCENT.

Narrative: PRIOR CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: SHORT LAYOVER LESS THAN 8 HOURS OF REST WITH NO TIME FOR MEALS. LESS THAN FULLY ALERT WHEN EVENTS SNOWBALLED. WERE GIVEN A TURN AND DSNT CONCURRENTLY. DURING THESE MANEUVERS, STAB OUT OF TRIM LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DISENGAGED AUTOPLT. ACFT PITCHED DOWN HARD, REQUIRED CONSIDERABLE NOSE UP TRIM TO REDUCE HEAVY NOSE DOWN PRESSURE. ACFT DSNDED 350-400' BELOW ASSIGNED ALT BEFORE ALL WAS NORMALIZED. COMMENTS: NOT ENOUGH EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON GOOD CREW REST. THERE IS SO MUCH PUBLICITY GIVEN TO DRUG AND ALCOHOL PROBS WHICH ARE MINISCULE IN COMPARISON TO THE DANGERS POSED BY FATIGUED CREWS. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME THAT I HAVE 2 LONG FLYING DAYS SPLIT BY A SHORT LAYOVER, I HAVE TO SUBMIT A NASA RPT FOR SOME FATIGUE RELATED INCIDENT! EIGHT HOURS BEHIND THE DOOR IS NOT ENOUGH. ONE CANNOT IMMEDIATELY FALL ASLEEP AFTER THE COMPLETION OF A DUTY PERIOD, AND THAT 8 HOURS INCLUDES THE TIME REQUIRED TO SHOWER AND GET READY IN THE MORNING AND RIDE TO THE ARPT. THE RESULT IS 5 1/2 TO 6 HOURS REST, DANGEROUS!!

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.