Altitude deviation altitude overshot.

Attributes
ACN	295487
Time
Date	199502
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msy
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msy
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4100
ASRS Report	295487
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
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:

Inadvertent descent through assigned altitude -- visibility unlimited -- airport reported in sight from 40 mi out -- cleared by atl to descend from 11000-7000 ft. All appropriate checklists had been completed. PF, sic, myself inadvertently descended through 7000 ft down to 6500 ft before we both caught it and returned immediately to 7000 ft within 20 seconds we were subsequently cleared to 3000 ft traffic was climbing through our altitude and was in sight and reported so, and was at least 4-5 mi away and not a factor. Causes of incursion: 1) captain's insistence in non- essential conversation below 10000 ft within 10 min of airport (sterile cockpit). 2) both pilots failure to observe level off. 3) ATC unnecessarily keeping aircraft ridiculously high -- 7000 ft 5 mi from airport. 4) improper and ineffective approved company procedure. There is no call out for level off upon reaching an assigned altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT.

Narrative: INADVERTENT DSCNT THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT -- VISIBILITY UNLIMITED -- ARPT RPTED IN SIGHT FROM 40 MI OUT -- CLRED BY ATL TO DSND FROM 11000-7000 FT. ALL APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS HAD BEEN COMPLETED. PF, SIC, MYSELF INADVERTENTLY DSNDED THROUGH 7000 FT DOWN TO 6500 FT BEFORE WE BOTH CAUGHT IT AND RETURNED IMMEDIATELY TO 7000 FT WITHIN 20 SECONDS WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED TO 3000 FT TFC WAS CLBING THROUGH OUR ALT AND WAS IN SIGHT AND RPTED SO, AND WAS AT LEAST 4-5 MI AWAY AND NOT A FACTOR. CAUSES OF INCURSION: 1) CAPT'S INSISTENCE IN NON- ESSENTIAL CONVERSATION BELOW 10000 FT WITHIN 10 MIN OF ARPT (STERILE COCKPIT). 2) BOTH PLTS FAILURE TO OBSERVE LEVEL OFF. 3) ATC UNNECESSARILY KEEPING ACFT RIDICULOUSLY HIGH -- 7000 FT 5 MI FROM ARPT. 4) IMPROPER AND INEFFECTIVE APPROVED COMPANY PROC. THERE IS NO CALL OUT FOR LEVEL OFF UPON REACHING AN ASSIGNED ALT.

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.