Flight crew of air carrier light transport aircraft overshot descent clearance limit altitude result...

Attributes
ACN	211567
Time
Date	199205
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdu
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : rdu
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	211567
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	211729
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was first officer, PF on air carrier aircraft flight from gso to rdu on may/sun/92. Departed gso on schedule and climbed to 7000 MSL. Handed off from gso departure to rdu approach (132.35) was given descent to 5000 MSL but descended to 4000 MSL inadvertently. The only altitude reminder that was in use in this aircraft was my ADF's standby frequency which I dial to the assigned altitude. This particular aircraft did not have any provisions for the captain to have an altitude reminder. All other aircraft in the fleet have a roll-type altitude reminder on captain's side. The ADF reminder on my side is positioned so it is difficult to see due to the position of the yoke. I feel that had the aircraft been installed with an audible altitude alerting system, the deviation would not have occurred. Another factor is crew fatigue -- we were on the last leg of a 14 hour duty day which had been the last day of 6 days in a row. No conflict had occurred, and the captain asked the approach controller if any separation problems had occurred. He replied that there was no separation problem and that 4000 MSL was 'ok.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AIR CARRIER LTT ACFT OVERSHOT DSCNT CLRNC LIMIT ALT RESULTING IN NO CONFLICT.

Narrative: I WAS FO, PF ON AIR CARRIER ACFT FLT FROM GSO TO RDU ON MAY/SUN/92. DEPARTED GSO ON SCHEDULE AND CLBED TO 7000 MSL. HANDED OFF FROM GSO DEP TO RDU APCH (132.35) WAS GIVEN DSCNT TO 5000 MSL BUT DSNDED TO 4000 MSL INADVERTENTLY. THE ONLY ALT REMINDER THAT WAS IN USE IN THIS ACFT WAS MY ADF'S STANDBY FREQ WHICH I DIAL TO THE ASSIGNED ALT. THIS PARTICULAR ACFT DID NOT HAVE ANY PROVISIONS FOR THE CAPT TO HAVE AN ALT REMINDER. ALL OTHER ACFT IN THE FLEET HAVE A ROLL-TYPE ALT REMINDER ON CAPT'S SIDE. THE ADF REMINDER ON MY SIDE IS POSITIONED SO IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE DUE TO THE POS OF THE YOKE. I FEEL THAT HAD THE ACFT BEEN INSTALLED WITH AN AUDIBLE ALT ALERTING SYS, THE DEV WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. ANOTHER FACTOR IS CREW FATIGUE -- WE WERE ON THE LAST LEG OF A 14 HR DUTY DAY WHICH HAD BEEN THE LAST DAY OF 6 DAYS IN A ROW. NO CONFLICT HAD OCCURRED, AND THE CAPT ASKED THE APCH CTLR IF ANY SEPARATION PROBLEMS HAD OCCURRED. HE REPLIED THAT THERE WAS NO SEPARATION PROBLEM AND THAT 4000 MSL WAS 'OK.'

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.

Flight crew of air carrier light transport aircraft overshot descent clearance limit altitude resulting in no conflict.