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Flight crew of an medium large transport overshot descent altitude due to captain distraction talking on the interphone to flight attendant.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 323890 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199512 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : jot |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 16200 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 : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 60000 flight time type : 3500 |
| ASRS Report | 323890 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| 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:
We were descending with a clearance to 17000 ft. I was anticipating a clearance to cross 5 mi southwest of jot at 6000 ft, and was descending quickly to be able to make this restr. At FL180, we set altimeters and I called for the approach/descent checklist. Next, the flight attendants rang on the interphone and I answered them. Soon after our short conversation, the altitude alert went off. We were at 16700 ft, descending fast. I stopped the descent at about 16200 ft and climbed immediately back to 17000 ft. The controller then cleared us to a lower altitude. This happened because the first officer was distracted by performing the checklist which I had asked for, and I let myself get distracted from flying the aircraft by answering the interphone. Neither one of us remember the altitude alert going off at FL180, and neither one of us made the '1000 ft to go' call.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF AN MLG OVERSHOT DSCNT ALT DUE TO CAPT DISTR TALKING ON THE INTERPHONE TO FLT ATTENDANT.
Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING WITH A CLRNC TO 17000 FT. I WAS ANTICIPATING A CLRNC TO CROSS 5 MI SW OF JOT AT 6000 FT, AND WAS DSNDING QUICKLY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS RESTR. AT FL180, WE SET ALTIMETERS AND I CALLED FOR THE APCH/DSCNT CHKLIST. NEXT, THE FLT ATTENDANTS RANG ON THE INTERPHONE AND I ANSWERED THEM. SOON AFTER OUR SHORT CONVERSATION, THE ALT ALERT WENT OFF. WE WERE AT 16700 FT, DSNDING FAST. I STOPPED THE DSCNT AT ABOUT 16200 FT AND CLBED IMMEDIATELY BACK TO 17000 FT. THE CTLR THEN CLRED US TO A LOWER ALT. THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE THE FO WAS DISTRACTED BY PERFORMING THE CHKLIST WHICH I HAD ASKED FOR, AND I LET MYSELF GET DISTRACTED FROM FLYING THE ACFT BY ANSWERING THE INTERPHONE. NEITHER ONE OF US REMEMBER THE ALT ALERT GOING OFF AT FL180, AND NEITHER ONE OF US MADE THE '1000 FT TO GO' CALL.
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.