Altitude deviation altitude excursion -- air carrier descends below its assigned altitude while capt...

Attributes
ACN	313540
Time
Date	199508
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2700 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 3100
ASRS Report	313540
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared by approach to join runway 13R localizer and maintain 3000 ft. Autoplt was on with copilot flying. This is a common problem, with the md-80 in a bank to join localizer, while slowing and putting out the slats, the autoplt has trouble capturing a selected altitude. I was monitoring the autoplt progress and suspected it may not capture. Copilot was out to lunch! When I saw it wasn't going to capture and hold 3000 ft, I disconnected autoplt to level off airplane. Copilot meanwhile is pushing down while I'm pulling back! Descended to about 2700 ft before he realized that he screwed up and we went back to 3000 ft. I hate to admit this, but a contributing factor was a copilot whose situational awareness is 'poor' at best. He flies an ok airplane, but seems clueless on what's coming and how to operate in a busy ATC environment!!! Approach said nothing and cleared us for a visual right after calling runway in sight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION -- ACR DSNDS BELOW ITS ASSIGNED ALT WHILE CAPTURING THE LOC.

Narrative: CLRED BY APCH TO JOIN RWY 13R LOC AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT. AUTOPLT WAS ON WITH COPLT FLYING. THIS IS A COMMON PROB, WITH THE MD-80 IN A BANK TO JOIN LOC, WHILE SLOWING AND PUTTING OUT THE SLATS, THE AUTOPLT HAS TROUBLE CAPTURING A SELECTED ALT. I WAS MONITORING THE AUTOPLT PROGRESS AND SUSPECTED IT MAY NOT CAPTURE. COPLT WAS OUT TO LUNCH! WHEN I SAW IT WASN'T GOING TO CAPTURE AND HOLD 3000 FT, I DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT TO LEVEL OFF AIRPLANE. COPLT MEANWHILE IS PUSHING DOWN WHILE I'M PULLING BACK! DSNDED TO ABOUT 2700 FT BEFORE HE REALIZED THAT HE SCREWED UP AND WE WENT BACK TO 3000 FT. I HATE TO ADMIT THIS, BUT A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS A COPLT WHOSE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS IS 'POOR' AT BEST. HE FLIES AN OK AIRPLANE, BUT SEEMS CLUELESS ON WHAT'S COMING AND HOW TO OPERATE IN A BUSY ATC ENVIRONMENT!!! APCH SAID NOTHING AND CLRED US FOR A VISUAL RIGHT AFTER CALLING RWY IN SIGHT.

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.

Altitude deviation altitude excursion -- air carrier descends below its assigned altitude while capturing the localizer.