Altitude deviation, descent.

Attributes
ACN	295140
Time
Date	199501
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : odf
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23500 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	295140
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The captain was descending from cruise altitude to level at FL240. I, the first officer, was off communication 1 to get ATIS and call company with ETA. The captain has a hearing deficiency and because of this he requested that I use a headset to listen to communication 2. I rarely use a headset and had my head down looking for the headset and jack. While I was accomplishing this task the captain descended to approximately FL235. I looked up and said 'altitude.' the captain then climbed to FL240. The flight was uneventful from that point. Contributing factors are my unfamiliarity with the placement of the headset jack. It is not in plain view, it is in the bottom of a covered box to the right and behind the first officer seat. Also, the captain's hearing deficiency. The captain sometimes cannot hear altitude chimes and very often needs controller instructions repeated.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV, DSCNT.

Narrative: THE CAPT WAS DSNDING FROM CRUISE ALT TO LEVEL AT FL240. I, THE FO, WAS OFF COM 1 TO GET ATIS AND CALL COMPANY WITH ETA. THE CAPT HAS A HEARING DEFICIENCY AND BECAUSE OF THIS HE REQUESTED THAT I USE A HEADSET TO LISTEN TO COM 2. I RARELY USE A HEADSET AND HAD MY HEAD DOWN LOOKING FOR THE HEADSET AND JACK. WHILE I WAS ACCOMPLISHING THIS TASK THE CAPT DSNDED TO APPROX FL235. I LOOKED UP AND SAID 'ALT.' THE CAPT THEN CLBED TO FL240. THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL FROM THAT POINT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE MY UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THE HEADSET JACK. IT IS NOT IN PLAIN VIEW, IT IS IN THE BOTTOM OF A COVERED BOX TO THE R AND BEHIND THE FO SEAT. ALSO, THE CAPT'S HEARING DEFICIENCY. THE CAPT SOMETIMES CANNOT HEAR ALT CHIMES AND VERY OFTEN NEEDS CTLR INSTRUCTIONS REPEATED.

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.