Flight crew of navigation facility test aircraft descended below cleared to altitude.

Attributes
ACN	178570
Time
Date	199105
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mie
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2800 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 5200 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	178570
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Crew had just been cleared from 7000 to 4000', 14 mi northwest of muncie, in. Sic was flying the aircraft (hand-flying) from the left seat. The PIC was in the right seat attempting to get the muncie ATIS. Since we had just departed from the grissom AFB area after completing a flight check it was not possible for us to get the ATIS any sooner. As PIC was copying down the ATIS he looked at altimeter and saw the sic passing through 2800' when 4000' was assigned. I immediately made a correction back to 4000'. As I started the correction, ZID advised of some IFR traffic at 3000' and I responded that we had muncie airport in sight for a visibility approach. Cleared for the approach and nothing further. The PIC must constantly watch aircraft positioning. I let my guard down since I was trying to get the ATIS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF NAVIGATION FAC TEST ACFT DESCENDED BELOW CLEARED TO ALT.

Narrative: CREW HAD JUST BEEN CLRED FROM 7000 TO 4000', 14 MI NW OF MUNCIE, IN. SIC WAS FLYING THE ACFT (HAND-FLYING) FROM THE LEFT SEAT. THE PIC WAS IN THE RIGHT SEAT ATTEMPTING TO GET THE MUNCIE ATIS. SINCE WE HAD JUST DEPARTED FROM THE GRISSOM AFB AREA AFTER COMPLETING A FLT CHK IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR US TO GET THE ATIS ANY SOONER. AS PIC WAS COPYING DOWN THE ATIS HE LOOKED AT ALTIMETER AND SAW THE SIC PASSING THROUGH 2800' WHEN 4000' WAS ASSIGNED. I IMMEDIATELY MADE A CORRECTION BACK TO 4000'. AS I STARTED THE CORRECTION, ZID ADVISED OF SOME IFR TFC AT 3000' AND I RESPONDED THAT WE HAD MUNCIE ARPT IN SIGHT FOR A VIS APCH. CLRED FOR THE APCH AND NOTHING FURTHER. THE PIC MUST CONSTANTLY WATCH ACFT POSITIONING. I LET MY GUARD DOWN SINCE I WAS TRYING TO GET THE ATIS.

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.