Narrative:

ZDV told us to cross allan intersection at 17000 ft. We were at FL190. The crew became involved in obtaining and analyzing new WX. The left auxiliary generator light also came on, requiring attention. When the crew next noticed the altitude we were already inside the intersection. A new controller came on and told us to descend now and maintain 17000 ft. We did and nothing more was said. Supplemental information from acn 302585: flight departed hayden, co (hdn) en route to denver (den). At approximately 1 NM from hayden we were assigned an easterly heading to intercept and track the 306 degree radial of falcon (fqf). Shortly thereafter, we were given a crossing altitude restr of 17000 ft at allen intersection. The captain and I discussed descent planning and agreed on a predetermined distance and rate of descent to cross allan intersection at 17000 ft. Immediately after I began to obtain updates for en route WX conditions, WX conditions at den and PIREPS for turbulence. Additional communications with the cabin attendant and captain regarding WX conditions, turbulence expected, the aircraft's maintenance status and our flight schedule occurred. Additionally, I was occupied with determining fuel, payload and other requirements for our next leg. Due to the flight crew's increasing workload, we inadvertently flew past our previously planned descent point and subsequently crossed allan intersection at our assigned cruise altitude of FL190. ZDV questioned our altitude approximately 2 NM southeast of allan intersection. At this time we discovered the error and began a descent to 17000 ft. I believe that the increased workload required of commuter pilots who do not have dispatchers to assist them with the many and various preflight coordination duties contributed to this occurrence. Compounding the problem is the relatively short leg length and scarce time allowed to complete support functions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC FAILS TO COMPLY WITH REVISED ALT RESTR.

Narrative: ZDV TOLD US TO CROSS ALLAN INTXN AT 17000 FT. WE WERE AT FL190. THE CREW BECAME INVOLVED IN OBTAINING AND ANALYZING NEW WX. THE L AUX GENERATOR LIGHT ALSO CAME ON, REQUIRING ATTN. WHEN THE CREW NEXT NOTICED THE ALT WE WERE ALREADY INSIDE THE INTXN. A NEW CTLR CAME ON AND TOLD US TO DSND NOW AND MAINTAIN 17000 FT. WE DID AND NOTHING MORE WAS SAID. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 302585: FLT DEPARTED HAYDEN, CO (HDN) ENRTE TO DENVER (DEN). AT APPROX 1 NM FROM HAYDEN WE WERE ASSIGNED AN EASTERLY HDG TO INTERCEPT AND TRACK THE 306 DEG RADIAL OF FALCON (FQF). SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE WERE GIVEN A XING ALT RESTR OF 17000 FT AT ALLEN INTXN. THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED DSCNT PLANNING AND AGREED ON A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE AND RATE OF DSCNT TO CROSS ALLAN INTXN AT 17000 FT. IMMEDIATELY AFTER I BEGAN TO OBTAIN UPDATES FOR ENRTE WX CONDITIONS, WX CONDITIONS AT DEN AND PIREPS FOR TURB. ADDITIONAL COMS WITH THE CABIN ATTENDANT AND CAPT REGARDING WX CONDITIONS, TURB EXPECTED, THE ACFT'S MAINT STATUS AND OUR FLT SCHEDULE OCCURRED. ADDITIONALLY, I WAS OCCUPIED WITH DETERMINING FUEL, PAYLOAD AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR OUR NEXT LEG. DUE TO THE FLC'S INCREASING WORKLOAD, WE INADVERTENTLY FLEW PAST OUR PREVIOUSLY PLANNED DSCNT POINT AND SUBSEQUENTLY CROSSED ALLAN INTXN AT OUR ASSIGNED CRUISE ALT OF FL190. ZDV QUESTIONED OUR ALT APPROX 2 NM SE OF ALLAN INTXN. AT THIS TIME WE DISCOVERED THE ERROR AND BEGAN A DSCNT TO 17000 FT. I BELIEVE THAT THE INCREASED WORKLOAD REQUIRED OF COMMUTER PLTS WHO DO NOT HAVE DISPATCHERS TO ASSIST THEM WITH THE MANY AND VARIOUS PREFLT COORD DUTIES CONTRIBUTED TO THIS OCCURRENCE. COMPOUNDING THE PROB IS THE RELATIVELY SHORT LEG LENGTH AND SCARCE TIME ALLOWED TO COMPLETE SUPPORT FUNCTIONS.

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.