Flight crew misses crossing altitude on descent into stl.

Attributes
ACN	328225
Time
Date	199602
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ftz
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12800 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	328225
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 255 flight time total : 18500 flight time type : 5400
ASRS Report	328074
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Inbound to st louis, were cleared by ZKC to cross 12 mi west of ftz at 15000 ft MSL. The first officer (PNF) mistakenly dialed in 12000 ft in the altitude alerter. At approximately 12800 ft we were switched to st louis approach who questioned our altitude clearance. At this time we realized we were supposed to be at 15000 ft and discovered the error in the altitude alerter setting. Approach control assured us of 'no problem' and cleared us down to 7000 ft for the remainder of the arrival. A contributing factor to my missing the mistaken altitude setting was the 'a' position flight attendant had just entered the flight deck to take refreshment orders during the clearance from center. After hearing and responding to the clearance, I directed my attention to the flight attendant instead of following up the proper setting of the altitude alerter. The flight continued to stl uneventfully. Supplemental information from acn 328074: as a contributing factor I feel the practice of reading back clrncs in a brief form such as 'cross 12 west at 15' in an effort to speed things up is a poor practice and I will not do it anymore.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC MISSES XING ALT ON DSCNT INTO STL.

Narrative: INBOUND TO ST LOUIS, WERE CLRED BY ZKC TO CROSS 12 MI W OF FTZ AT 15000 FT MSL. THE FO (PNF) MISTAKENLY DIALED IN 12000 FT IN THE ALT ALERTER. AT APPROX 12800 FT WE WERE SWITCHED TO ST LOUIS APCH WHO QUESTIONED OUR ALT CLRNC. AT THIS TIME WE REALIZED WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT 15000 FT AND DISCOVERED THE ERROR IN THE ALT ALERTER SETTING. APCH CTL ASSURED US OF 'NO PROB' AND CLRED US DOWN TO 7000 FT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE ARR. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO MY MISSING THE MISTAKEN ALT SETTING WAS THE 'A' POS FLT ATTENDANT HAD JUST ENTERED THE FLT DECK TO TAKE REFRESHMENT ORDERS DURING THE CLRNC FROM CTR. AFTER HEARING AND RESPONDING TO THE CLRNC, I DIRECTED MY ATTN TO THE FLT ATTENDANT INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING UP THE PROPER SETTING OF THE ALT ALERTER. THE FLT CONTINUED TO STL UNEVENTFULLY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 328074: AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR I FEEL THE PRACTICE OF READING BACK CLRNCS IN A BRIEF FORM SUCH AS 'CROSS 12 W AT 15' IN AN EFFORT TO SPD THINGS UP IS A POOR PRACTICE AND I WILL NOT DO IT ANYMORE.

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.