An air carrier light transport flew through its assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	272587
Time
Date	199405
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tol
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tol
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1900 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	272587
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	272594
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were told to descend and maintain 5000 ft. ATC told us to expect a visual after clearing traffic, landing runway 34. We called 1000 ft to go at 6000 ft. I thought we had been cleared for the visual approach and continued descent. The captain and I were in the process of completing the approach checklist when the captain noticed we were at 4000 ft and notified me. At the same time, the controller called to tell us we were low. She then immediately cleared us for the visual. I had already begun a climb back to 5000 ft, but then upon being cleared for visual, resumed descent for uneventful landing. Contributing factors: 1) 1 pilot was consumed with approach check. 2) communication, 1 pilot thinking he was cleared for visual.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LTT FLEW THROUGH ITS ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE TOLD TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 5000 FT. ATC TOLD US TO EXPECT A VISUAL AFTER CLRING TFC, LNDG RWY 34. WE CALLED 1000 FT TO GO AT 6000 FT. I THOUGHT WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH AND CONTINUED DSCNT. THE CAPT AND I WERE IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING THE APCH CHKLIST WHEN THE CAPT NOTICED WE WERE AT 4000 FT AND NOTIFIED ME. AT THE SAME TIME, THE CTLR CALLED TO TELL US WE WERE LOW. SHE THEN IMMEDIATELY CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL. I HAD ALREADY BEGUN A CLB BACK TO 5000 FT, BUT THEN UPON BEING CLRED FOR VISUAL, RESUMED DSCNT FOR UNEVENTFUL LNDG. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) 1 PLT WAS CONSUMED WITH APCH CHK. 2) COM, 1 PLT THINKING HE WAS CLRED FOR VISUAL.

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.