Narrative:

Captain was hand-fling aircraft level at 5000' MSL on a direct route to carmel VOR. I was talking on the #2 communication to company frequency and filling out the aircraft log book with departure times off of bridgeport, ct. I then heard the altitude alerter sound and looked up at the altimeter and saw us 300' below assigned altitude. Captain responded immediately and pitched up to correct. The aircraft continued to about 350' below assigned altitude. The aircraft climbed expeditiously to assigned altitude west/O further incident. ATC didn't notify us of any altitude deviation. Flight continued uneventfully to destination. I cannot say for certain the cause of the deviation, but a factor which I believe should be looked into is the fact that we came off a night which was reduced rest (8 hours), and were scheduled for 13 hours of duty, which included 10 flight segments or 5 round trip flts, each of which were all flts of approximately 30 mins or less with no breaks scheduled until just before the last round trip. This occurrence was in the middle of the day. I must add that we were both well rested and not tired yet, but the thought of 6 flts still remaining takes its toll. The entire day is scheduled for 7 hours and 20 mins of flight time, which is a very unrealistic estimate when flying in and out of a ny hub, especially on an IFR day. Also, I believe someone should look into revising the maximum duty and flight time limits to include the amount of flight segments. Doing 10 ILS approachs to minimums and flying 7 hours is not the same as 1 round trip, ny to den, and doing 1, maybe 2 approachs and flying 7 hours! Thank you for your time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION. EXCURSION FROM ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: CAPT WAS HAND-FLING ACFT LEVEL AT 5000' MSL ON A DIRECT RTE TO CARMEL VOR. I WAS TALKING ON THE #2 COM TO COMPANY FREQ AND FILLING OUT THE ACFT LOG BOOK WITH DEP TIMES OFF OF BRIDGEPORT, CT. I THEN HEARD THE ALT ALERTER SOUND AND LOOKED UP AT THE ALTIMETER AND SAW US 300' BELOW ASSIGNED ALT. CAPT RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY AND PITCHED UP TO CORRECT. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO ABOUT 350' BELOW ASSIGNED ALT. THE ACFT CLBED EXPEDITIOUSLY TO ASSIGNED ALT W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. ATC DIDN'T NOTIFY US OF ANY ALT DEVIATION. FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY TO DEST. I CANNOT SAY FOR CERTAIN THE CAUSE OF THE DEVIATION, BUT A FACTOR WHICH I BELIEVE SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO IS THE FACT THAT WE CAME OFF A NIGHT WHICH WAS REDUCED REST (8 HRS), AND WERE SCHEDULED FOR 13 HRS OF DUTY, WHICH INCLUDED 10 FLT SEGMENTS OR 5 ROUND TRIP FLTS, EACH OF WHICH WERE ALL FLTS OF APPROX 30 MINS OR LESS WITH NO BREAKS SCHEDULED UNTIL JUST BEFORE THE LAST ROUND TRIP. THIS OCCURRENCE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY. I MUST ADD THAT WE WERE BOTH WELL RESTED AND NOT TIRED YET, BUT THE THOUGHT OF 6 FLTS STILL REMAINING TAKES ITS TOLL. THE ENTIRE DAY IS SCHEDULED FOR 7 HRS AND 20 MINS OF FLT TIME, WHICH IS A VERY UNREALISTIC ESTIMATE WHEN FLYING IN AND OUT OF A NY HUB, ESPECIALLY ON AN IFR DAY. ALSO, I BELIEVE SOMEONE SHOULD LOOK INTO REVISING THE MAX DUTY AND FLT TIME LIMITS TO INCLUDE THE AMOUNT OF FLT SEGMENTS. DOING 10 ILS APCHS TO MINIMUMS AND FLYING 7 HRS IS NOT THE SAME AS 1 ROUND TRIP, NY TO DEN, AND DOING 1, MAYBE 2 APCHS AND FLYING 7 HRS! THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

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.