Narrative:

This was the first leg of a 4 day trip. The WX was beautiful but after ZOB handed us off to ZDC, they began vectoring us around excessively. We received numerous heading, altitude, and speed changes, and several times, altitude clrncs were changed shortly after receiving them. At one time, we were within 45 NM of our destination (ric) at FL230 when ZDC issued a 180 degree turn and descent clearance. The frustration (my) level with ATC was at an all time high. At some point we were given a descent to 14000 ft, however, we descended to 13300 ft before we realized we had passed our assigned altitude. Several things contributed to this deviation: 1) I was extremely annoyed with ZDC and my attention was not 100 percent due to this situation. 2) just as we should have been leveling off, one of our flight attendants came up to the cockpit with coffee, distracting both myself and the first officer. 3) our 'normal' altitude alerters give 5 rather short, sharp beeps, and this one gave only 1 long but rather subdued beep. 4) our airline utilizes an excellent system for setting a new altitude in the alerter, verifying it with the other crew member and then calling out 1000 ft above assigned altitude in the descent. Although the correct altitude was set, I do not recall making the 1000 ft above callout. As is so often the case, numerous small items combined to create a problem which, fortunately, did not become a disaster. I do believe, however, that the primary cause was my being distracted due to the frustration of getting terrible service in terrific WX from ZDC. I suppose the solution is to not get annoyed, but, like other things, it is easier said than done.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG DSNDS BELOW ALT.

Narrative: THIS WAS THE FIRST LEG OF A 4 DAY TRIP. THE WX WAS BEAUTIFUL BUT AFTER ZOB HANDED US OFF TO ZDC, THEY BEGAN VECTORING US AROUND EXCESSIVELY. WE RECEIVED NUMEROUS HDG, ALT, AND SPD CHANGES, AND SEVERAL TIMES, ALT CLRNCS WERE CHANGED SHORTLY AFTER RECEIVING THEM. AT ONE TIME, WE WERE WITHIN 45 NM OF OUR DEST (RIC) AT FL230 WHEN ZDC ISSUED A 180 DEG TURN AND DSCNT CLRNC. THE FRUSTRATION (MY) LEVEL WITH ATC WAS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH. AT SOME POINT WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT TO 14000 FT, HOWEVER, WE DSNDED TO 13300 FT BEFORE WE REALIZED WE HAD PASSED OUR ASSIGNED ALT. SEVERAL THINGS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS DEV: 1) I WAS EXTREMELY ANNOYED WITH ZDC AND MY ATTN WAS NOT 100 PERCENT DUE TO THIS SIT. 2) JUST AS WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN LEVELING OFF, ONE OF OUR FLT ATTENDANTS CAME UP TO THE COCKPIT WITH COFFEE, DISTRACTING BOTH MYSELF AND THE FO. 3) OUR 'NORMAL' ALT ALERTERS GIVE 5 RATHER SHORT, SHARP BEEPS, AND THIS ONE GAVE ONLY 1 LONG BUT RATHER SUBDUED BEEP. 4) OUR AIRLINE UTILIZES AN EXCELLENT SYS FOR SETTING A NEW ALT IN THE ALERTER, VERIFYING IT WITH THE OTHER CREW MEMBER AND THEN CALLING OUT 1000 FT ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT IN THE DSCNT. ALTHOUGH THE CORRECT ALT WAS SET, I DO NOT RECALL MAKING THE 1000 FT ABOVE CALLOUT. AS IS SO OFTEN THE CASE, NUMEROUS SMALL ITEMS COMBINED TO CREATE A PROB WHICH, FORTUNATELY, DID NOT BECOME A DISASTER. I DO BELIEVE, HOWEVER, THAT THE PRIMARY CAUSE WAS MY BEING DISTRACTED DUE TO THE FRUSTRATION OF GETTING TERRIBLE SVC IN TERRIFIC WX FROM ZDC. I SUPPOSE THE SOLUTION IS TO NOT GET ANNOYED, BUT, LIKE OTHER THINGS, IT IS EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

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.