Altitude deviation on descent. Probable pilot fatigue.

Attributes
ACN	305560
Time
Date	199505
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : acy
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	305560
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Altitude assigned 8000 ft. First officer descended to 7000 ft. Captain talking to ground parking about gate, wheelchairs, etc. First officer handling radios and flying. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the northeast corridor is very congested with constant communication, altitude and heading changes. Company procedures for altitude changes are verbal calls when setting the altitude alert and 1000 ft above the altitude. Also, the altitude alert will chime and light illuminate within 750 ft of altitude. The company procedure requires flight crew call 'within range' for gate information, supplies, wheelchairs, etc, thus, taking the 1 crew member out of the flying/ATC loop. Captain believes first officer set wrong altitude in altitude alert probably because of fatigue. Either he heard the altitude incorrectly or set the alert incorrectly. Flying the northeast corridor is very fatiguing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ON DSCNT. PROBABLE PLT FATIGUE.

Narrative: ALT ASSIGNED 8000 FT. FO DSNDED TO 7000 FT. CAPT TALKING TO GND PARKING ABOUT GATE, WHEELCHAIRS, ETC. FO HANDLING RADIOS AND FLYING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE NE CORRIDOR IS VERY CONGESTED WITH CONSTANT COM, ALT AND HDG CHANGES. COMPANY PROCS FOR ALT CHANGES ARE VERBAL CALLS WHEN SETTING THE ALT ALERT AND 1000 FT ABOVE THE ALT. ALSO, THE ALT ALERT WILL CHIME AND LIGHT ILLUMINATE WITHIN 750 FT OF ALT. THE COMPANY PROC REQUIRES FLC CALL 'WITHIN RANGE' FOR GATE INFO, SUPPLIES, WHEELCHAIRS, ETC, THUS, TAKING THE 1 CREW MEMBER OUT OF THE FLYING/ATC LOOP. CAPT BELIEVES FO SET WRONG ALT IN ALT ALERT PROBABLY BECAUSE OF FATIGUE. EITHER HE HEARD THE ALT INCORRECTLY OR SET THE ALERT INCORRECTLY. FLYING THE NE CORRIDOR IS VERY FATIGUING.

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.