An air carrier B727-200 crew flew through its descent altitude on a STAR. Error admitted.

Attributes
ACN	341609
Time
Date	199607
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16700 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	341609
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	341703
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented 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 was flying. We were looking for TCASII traffic and dodging thunderstorm buildups. I was playing with radar, captain was looking for traffic. Went about 300 ft lower than assigned altitude of 17000 ft. Don't think center noticed it, as they gave us 13000 ft descent as we saw our mistake. No conflict. Probably should have not been doing anything else so close to leveloff altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B727-200 CREW FLEW THROUGH ITS DSCNT ALT ON A STAR. ERROR ADMITTED.

Narrative: CAPT WAS FLYING. WE WERE LOOKING FOR TCASII TFC AND DODGING TSTM BUILDUPS. I WAS PLAYING WITH RADAR, CAPT WAS LOOKING FOR TFC. WENT ABOUT 300 FT LOWER THAN ASSIGNED ALT OF 17000 FT. DON'T THINK CTR NOTICED IT, AS THEY GAVE US 13000 FT DSCNT AS WE SAW OUR MISTAKE. NO CONFLICT. PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE NOT BEEN DOING ANYTHING ELSE SO CLOSE TO LEVELOFF 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.