Altitude deviation. Late clearance. Excessive descent rate.

Attributes
ACN	317590
Time
Date	199510
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : msn
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	317590
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 24000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	317324
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During descent into madison, the PF (captain) descended slightly below the assigned altitude. I didn't catch it because of task saturation, ie, descent flow, descent check, ATIS, company, approach flow, approach check, etc and a flash/reflection I saw out my right window distracted me (it apparently was nothing).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV. LATE CLRNC. EXCESSIVE DSCNT RATE.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT INTO MADISON, THE PF (CAPT) DSNDED SLIGHTLY BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALT. I DIDN'T CATCH IT BECAUSE OF TASK SATURATION, IE, DSCNT FLOW, DSCNT CHK, ATIS, COMPANY, APCH FLOW, APCH CHK, ETC AND A FLASH/REFLECTION I SAW OUT MY R WINDOW DISTRACTED ME (IT APPARENTLY WAS NOTHING).

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.