Narrative:

When descending to 6000 ft on vectors to pit we descended through 6000 ft. The controller caught our error at 5800 ft but by the time we got the descent stopped, we had descended to 5650 ft. There were several factors that led to our error. 1) it was a very high workload time on a short leg in winter IFR WX, 2) we had not been given the approach assignment until we were out of 11000 ft, which caused additional stress and workload, and 3) as the first officer (PF) was a recent upgrade from so (and before that on furlough), I was trying to be especially conscientious of proper altitude awareness, and the main distraction was a brief lapse of positional awareness on the first officer's part as he thought we were on a right base (he looked at RMI needle #2 which was parked at 3 O'clock position because he had the localizer frequency in his radio). I said we were still northwest of pit, and then looked down at my chart to make sure it wasn't me that was confused and by the time I looked up, approach was calling and we were 200 ft low and descending at about 1000 FPM. It was an embarrassing lesson that basic stick and rudder (and scan pattern) must continue no matter how good a job your partner has been doing, or how high the workload.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC DSNDED THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT 6000 FT TO 5650 FT BEFORE RETURNING TO ASSIGNED 6000 FT.

Narrative: WHEN DSNDING TO 6000 FT ON VECTORS TO PIT WE DSNDED THROUGH 6000 FT. THE CTLR CAUGHT OUR ERROR AT 5800 FT BUT BY THE TIME WE GOT THE DSCNT STOPPED, WE HAD DSNDED TO 5650 FT. THERE WERE SEVERAL FACTORS THAT LED TO OUR ERROR. 1) IT WAS A VERY HIGH WORKLOAD TIME ON A SHORT LEG IN WINTER IFR WX, 2) WE HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN THE APCH ASSIGNMENT UNTIL WE WERE OUT OF 11000 FT, WHICH CAUSED ADDITIONAL STRESS AND WORKLOAD, AND 3) AS THE FO (PF) WAS A RECENT UPGRADE FROM SO (AND BEFORE THAT ON FURLOUGH), I WAS TRYING TO BE ESPECIALLY CONSCIENTIOUS OF PROPER ALT AWARENESS, AND THE MAIN DISTR WAS A BRIEF LAPSE OF POSITIONAL AWARENESS ON THE FO'S PART AS HE THOUGHT WE WERE ON A R BASE (HE LOOKED AT RMI NEEDLE #2 WHICH WAS PARKED AT 3 O'CLOCK POS BECAUSE HE HAD THE LOC FREQ IN HIS RADIO). I SAID WE WERE STILL NW OF PIT, AND THEN LOOKED DOWN AT MY CHART TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T ME THAT WAS CONFUSED AND BY THE TIME I LOOKED UP, APCH WAS CALLING AND WE WERE 200 FT LOW AND DSNDING AT ABOUT 1000 FPM. IT WAS AN EMBARRASSING LESSON THAT BASIC STICK AND RUDDER (AND SCAN PATTERN) MUST CONTINUE NO MATTER HOW GOOD A JOB YOUR PARTNER HAS BEEN DOING, OR HOW HIGH THE WORKLOAD.

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.