Air carrier cargo flight had altitude deviation on descent.

Attributes
ACN	160000
Time
Date	199010
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iiu
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5400 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sdf
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	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 : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 7200 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	160000
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
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:

Aircraft cleared to 6000' on descent. As PNF I made 1000' prior call and since we had received a vector for visibility approach I went head down to tune and identify ILS for backup, pre SOP. Altitude alerter functioned normally, when it went off a second time we were 300' low and descending. I took aircraft long enough to reestablish assigned altitude. Aircraft was 500-6--' low at lowest point. Upon checking in with approach no mention of altitude problem was made by controller so presumably it was not a problem. First officer in training is transitioning from the right seat of an large transport his basic flying skills and ability to think for himself seem very rusty after flying a glass cockpit for 3 months. I've had to be more heads up with him than many upgrading F/east's with much less experience. I will be alert to keeping my guard up on similar situations in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CARGO FLT HAD ALT DEVIATION ON DESCENT.

Narrative: ACFT CLRED TO 6000' ON DSNT. AS PNF I MADE 1000' PRIOR CALL AND SINCE WE HAD RECEIVED A VECTOR FOR VIS APCH I WENT HEAD DOWN TO TUNE AND IDENT ILS FOR BACKUP, PRE SOP. ALT ALERTER FUNCTIONED NORMALLY, WHEN IT WENT OFF A SEC TIME WE WERE 300' LOW AND DSNDING. I TOOK ACFT LONG ENOUGH TO REESTABLISH ASSIGNED ALT. ACFT WAS 500-6--' LOW AT LOWEST POINT. UPON CHKING IN WITH APCH NO MENTION OF ALT PROB WAS MADE BY CTLR SO PRESUMABLY IT WAS NOT A PROB. F/O IN TRNING IS TRANSITIONING FROM THE R SEAT OF AN LGT HIS BASIC FLYING SKILLS AND ABILITY TO THINK FOR HIMSELF SEEM VERY RUSTY AFTER FLYING A GLASS COCKPIT FOR 3 MONTHS. I'VE HAD TO BE MORE HEADS UP WITH HIM THAN MANY UPGRADING F/E'S WITH MUCH LESS EXPERIENCE. I WILL BE ALERT TO KEEPING MY GUARD UP ON SIMILAR SITUATIONS IN THE FUTURE.

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.