Altitude deviation. Overshoot on descent. Flight crew distraction.

Attributes
ACN	315630
Time
Date	199509
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
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 : n90
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 8100 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	315630
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 controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While receiving the ATIS and calling company for our parking gate the captain received clearance to descend to 8000 ft. He set the altitude alerter and started down. When I returned to the moment we were at 7500 ft and the controller was calling and telling us not to descend! He then asked our altitude which by then was 8000 ft (after a 1 1/2 G pull by the captain!) I replied '8000 ft.' there was no further problem. We were both well rested, this was the first leg of the trip. We could have both been more attentive to our duties to avoid this problem. I could have received ATIS earlier.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV. OVERSHOOT ON DSCNT. FLC DISTR.

Narrative: WHILE RECEIVING THE ATIS AND CALLING COMPANY FOR OUR PARKING GATE THE CAPT RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND TO 8000 FT. HE SET THE ALT ALERTER AND STARTED DOWN. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE MOMENT WE WERE AT 7500 FT AND THE CTLR WAS CALLING AND TELLING US NOT TO DSND! HE THEN ASKED OUR ALT WHICH BY THEN WAS 8000 FT (AFTER A 1 1/2 G PULL BY THE CAPT!) I REPLIED '8000 FT.' THERE WAS NO FURTHER PROB. WE WERE BOTH WELL RESTED, THIS WAS THE FIRST LEG OF THE TRIP. WE COULD HAVE BOTH BEEN MORE ATTENTIVE TO OUR DUTIES TO AVOID THIS PROB. I COULD HAVE RECEIVED ATIS EARLIER.

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.