Flight crew of large transport overshot assigned altitude in descent.

Attributes
ACN	168276
Time
Date	199101
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : abe
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12700 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv
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 : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	162876
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 8500
ASRS Report	168796
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approaching cleared altitude of 19000' we were reclred to 13000' and told to expect to hold at sweet intersection at published speed at your discretion, and expect holding instructions momentarily. We were unable to find sweet intersection on our maps while descending to 13000' and asked the controller where sweet intersection was. The controller then replied he was sorry and reclred us to lizzi intersection to hold as published and maintain 13000'. While all the confusion was going on, over the intersection, holding, altitude clearance, icing conditions and our destination going below minimums, the wrong altimeter setting was set. Approaching 13000' the controller was asked for the current altitude setting for holding purposes. The controller then asked us our altitude and reissued a current altitude setting. We immediately reset our altimeters and began to climb back to 13000'. We had descended to approximately 12700' because of the bad altitude setting.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT IN DESCENT.

Narrative: APCHING CLRED ALT OF 19000' WE WERE RECLRED TO 13000' AND TOLD TO EXPECT TO HOLD AT SWEET INTXN AT PUBLISHED SPD AT YOUR DISCRETION, AND EXPECT HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS MOMENTARILY. WE WERE UNABLE TO FIND SWEET INTXN ON OUR MAPS WHILE DSNDING TO 13000' AND ASKED THE CTLR WHERE SWEET INTXN WAS. THE CTLR THEN REPLIED HE WAS SORRY AND RECLRED US TO LIZZI INTXN TO HOLD AS PUBLISHED AND MAINTAIN 13000'. WHILE ALL THE CONFUSION WAS GOING ON, OVER THE INTXN, HOLDING, ALT CLRNC, ICING CONDITIONS AND OUR DEST GOING BELOW MINIMUMS, THE WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING WAS SET. APCHING 13000' THE CTLR WAS ASKED FOR THE CURRENT ALT SETTING FOR HOLDING PURPOSES. THE CTLR THEN ASKED US OUR ALT AND REISSUED A CURRENT ALT SETTING. WE IMMEDIATELY RESET OUR ALTIMETERS AND BEGAN TO CLB BACK TO 13000'. WE HAD DSNDED TO APPROX 12700' BECAUSE OF THE BAD ALT SETTING.

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.