Flight crew descends 500 ft through assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	317410
Time
Date	199509
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hgr
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7600 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 108 flight time total : 13100 flight time type : 108
ASRS Report	317410
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4550 flight time type : 2350
ASRS Report	317409
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On sep/xa/95 on a return flight to hgr from okc we were descending from FL370 into the hgr area, and being vectored by ZDC around traffic descending into the dca area. Getting close to hgr, center instructed us to maintain 8000 ft due to a jetstream at our 2-3 O'clock position. He also said we could expect lower when we got a visual on this aircraft. 8000 ft was set in the altitude alerter, and as I was talking and looking for aircraft the PF misunderstood the altitude assignment and set in 7000 ft, center advised us of this as we descended through 7500 ft, descent was stopped, and we climbed back to 8000 ft, visual contact was made with the jetstream as we started climbing. This was not a near miss. Due to busy time of evening, we misunderstood the altitude assigned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC DSNDS 500 FT THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ON SEP/XA/95 ON A RETURN FLT TO HGR FROM OKC WE WERE DSNDING FROM FL370 INTO THE HGR AREA, AND BEING VECTORED BY ZDC AROUND TFC DSNDING INTO THE DCA AREA. GETTING CLOSE TO HGR, CTR INSTRUCTED US TO MAINTAIN 8000 FT DUE TO A JETSTREAM AT OUR 2-3 O'CLOCK POS. HE ALSO SAID WE COULD EXPECT LOWER WHEN WE GOT A VISUAL ON THIS ACFT. 8000 FT WAS SET IN THE ALT ALERTER, AND AS I WAS TALKING AND LOOKING FOR ACFT THE PF MISUNDERSTOOD THE ALT ASSIGNMENT AND SET IN 7000 FT, CTR ADVISED US OF THIS AS WE DSNDED THROUGH 7500 FT, DSCNT WAS STOPPED, AND WE CLBED BACK TO 8000 FT, VISUAL CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE JETSTREAM AS WE STARTED CLBING. THIS WAS NOT A NEAR MISS. DUE TO BUSY TIME OF EVENING, WE MISUNDERSTOOD THE ALT ASSIGNED.

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.