A B757 captain descended below the assigned altitude while on a vector for the approach. The captain reported that he was expecting a runway other than the one that was assigned. The altitude alerter caught the flight crew's attention and the aircraft was returned to the clearance altitude.

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Attributes
ACN	332770
Time
Date	199604
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4700 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	332770
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	333048
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
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:

Captain descended below assigned altitude while setting up on vectors for visual approach runway 13R at dfw. Altitude warning light illuminated. Climbed back up immediately. Autoplt and flight director off at that time was the contributing factor. First officer (me) was tuning ILS frequency. Supplemental information from acn 333048: I was expecting runway 18R but was assigned runway 13R. Factors affecting the quality of human performance could be not enough sleep the 2 nights prior. Also, on prior equipment flown in last 10 yrs (B727) the altitude alert had an aural chime 700 ft prior to reaching selected altitude. The altitude alert on this airplane (B757) only has a light illuminating prior to reaching altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 CAPT DSNDED BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALT WHILE ON A VECTOR FOR THE APCH. THE CAPT RPTED THAT HE WAS EXPECTING A RWY OTHER THAN THE ONE THAT WAS ASSIGNED. THE ALT ALERTER CAUGHT THE FLC'S ATTN AND THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO THE CLRNC ALT.

Narrative: CAPT DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT WHILE SETTING UP ON VECTORS FOR VISUAL APCH RWY 13R AT DFW. ALT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CLBED BACK UP IMMEDIATELY. AUTOPLT AND FLT DIRECTOR OFF AT THAT TIME WAS THE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. FO (ME) WAS TUNING ILS FREQ. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 333048: I WAS EXPECTING RWY 18R BUT WAS ASSIGNED RWY 13R. FACTORS AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE COULD BE NOT ENOUGH SLEEP THE 2 NIGHTS PRIOR. ALSO, ON PRIOR EQUIP FLOWN IN LAST 10 YRS (B727) THE ALT ALERT HAD AN AURAL CHIME 700 FT PRIOR TO REACHING SELECTED ALT. THE ALT ALERT ON THIS AIRPLANE (B757) ONLY HAS A LIGHT ILLUMINATING PRIOR TO REACHING ALT.

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.