Narrative:

Norfolk approach advised us to descend from 5000 ft to 3000 ft. Using the autoplt, I started my descent with use of vertical speed and heading selector. I forgot to engage the altitude select button. The captain did not call my 1000 ft to go. I descended through 3000 ft to 2700 ft. ATC advised us of traffic at our 1 O'clock 5 mi, and asked our altitude. Captain said we were at 2700 ft climbing back to 3000 ft. This situation could have been avoided by my attention during the descent, standard callouts, and lack of conversation below 10000 ft. Another factor was this was my sixth day straight of duty. I was supposed to have 3 days off after a 5 days on schedule. Scheduling called me during my trip and junior manned me for my sixth day on. This trip ended up being 7 hours 16 mins of flying and over 12 hours of duty. I wouldn't mind a short trip with a couple of legs, but my level of flying and nonflying with such a long trip after a long week is not safe. The company has to fill these trips due to lack of pilots, but they don't look at the big picture as to fatigue and safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE FO OF A DH8 FORGOT TO ARM THE ALT CAPTURE ON THE AUTOPLT AND MISSED THE ASSIGNED ALT. WHEN THE ACFT WAS 300 FT LOW, THE APCH CTLR INTERVENED. THIS RPTR CITES COMPANY SCHEDULING PRACTICES, LACK OF ALT CALLOUTS, AND NONESSENTIAL CONVERSATIONS DURING STERILE COCKPIT.

Narrative: NORFOLK APCH ADVISED US TO DSND FROM 5000 FT TO 3000 FT. USING THE AUTOPLT, I STARTED MY DSCNT WITH USE OF VERT SPD AND HDG SELECTOR. I FORGOT TO ENGAGE THE ALT SELECT BUTTON. THE CAPT DID NOT CALL MY 1000 FT TO GO. I DSNDED THROUGH 3000 FT TO 2700 FT. ATC ADVISED US OF TFC AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK 5 MI, AND ASKED OUR ALT. CAPT SAID WE WERE AT 2700 FT CLBING BACK TO 3000 FT. THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY MY ATTN DURING THE DSCNT, STANDARD CALLOUTS, AND LACK OF CONVERSATION BELOW 10000 FT. ANOTHER FACTOR WAS THIS WAS MY SIXTH DAY STRAIGHT OF DUTY. I WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE 3 DAYS OFF AFTER A 5 DAYS ON SCHEDULE. SCHEDULING CALLED ME DURING MY TRIP AND JUNIOR MANNED ME FOR MY SIXTH DAY ON. THIS TRIP ENDED UP BEING 7 HRS 16 MINS OF FLYING AND OVER 12 HRS OF DUTY. I WOULDN'T MIND A SHORT TRIP WITH A COUPLE OF LEGS, BUT MY LEVEL OF FLYING AND NONFLYING WITH SUCH A LONG TRIP AFTER A LONG WK IS NOT SAFE. THE COMPANY HAS TO FILL THESE TRIPS DUE TO LACK OF PLTS, BUT THEY DON'T LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE AS TO FATIGUE AND SAFETY.

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.