Flight crew descends below assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	300231
Time
Date	199503
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdf
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5600 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sdf
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4600 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	300231
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:

On the night of mar/xx/95 I was the flight engineer aboard air carrier-X flight XXX (dc-8) (scheduled from ord to sdf). On this night we were cleared to descend to 6000 ft from 10000 ft by standiford approach control. During the descent the captain and first officer noted several rain showers and some lightning in the terminal area. During the descent the captain was in the process of turning on the radar and trying to depict WX on the radar screen. The captain was the PF. While observing his actions I noted the aircraft descending through 6000 ft. I quickly brought this to his attention when he arrested the descent at 5600 ft. There was no conflict with other traffic and ATC did not question our altitude. A big contributing factor to this event was the fact we were in a non-standard aircraft this night. All aircraft in our dc-8 fleet are EFIS equipped with automatic altitude capture on the autoplt, except for 3 leased aircraft, that are all non-standard, and analog display. Plus the failure of the captain to delegate either flying or radar. However it was VFR and the radar control was on his side. I believe he felt no need that it would be an easy task to tune up the radar before the level off. In the EFIS aircraft it would have been: in a non-standard aircraft it is not.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC DSNDS BELOW ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ON THE NIGHT OF MAR/XX/95 I WAS THE FE ABOARD ACR-X FLT XXX (DC-8) (SCHEDULED FROM ORD TO SDF). ON THIS NIGHT WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 6000 FT FROM 10000 FT BY STANDIFORD APCH CTL. DURING THE DSCNT THE CAPT AND FO NOTED SEVERAL RAIN SHOWERS AND SOME LIGHTNING IN THE TERMINAL AREA. DURING THE DSCNT THE CAPT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TURNING ON THE RADAR AND TRYING TO DEPICT WX ON THE RADAR SCREEN. THE CAPT WAS THE PF. WHILE OBSERVING HIS ACTIONS I NOTED THE ACFT DSNDING THROUGH 6000 FT. I QUICKLY BROUGHT THIS TO HIS ATTN WHEN HE ARRESTED THE DSCNT AT 5600 FT. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC AND ATC DID NOT QUESTION OUR ALT. A BIG CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THIS EVENT WAS THE FACT WE WERE IN A NON-STANDARD ACFT THIS NIGHT. ALL ACFT IN OUR DC-8 FLEET ARE EFIS EQUIPPED WITH AUTO ALT CAPTURE ON THE AUTOPLT, EXCEPT FOR 3 LEASED ACFT, THAT ARE ALL NON-STANDARD, AND ANALOG DISPLAY. PLUS THE FAILURE OF THE CAPT TO DELEGATE EITHER FLYING OR RADAR. HOWEVER IT WAS VFR AND THE RADAR CTL WAS ON HIS SIDE. I BELIEVE HE FELT NO NEED THAT IT WOULD BE AN EASY TASK TO TUNE UP THE RADAR BEFORE THE LEVEL OFF. IN THE EFIS ACFT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN: IN A NON-STANDARD ACFT IT IS NOT.

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.