Altitude deviation altitude overshot in descent. PIC PF was expecting 'lower momentarily.'

Attributes
ACN	357890
Time
Date	199701
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mco
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5700 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mco
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	357890
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	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:

While descending for approach into mco, the captain was the pilot flying the aircraft. The conditions were clear. We switched over from center to mco approach. Approach stated, 'descend to 6000 ft and let me know when you have the airport. Expect lower momentarily.' the first officer replied that we, 'would let approach know when the field was in sight.' the aircraft was still descending through about 7000 ft while this conversation was taking place. The captain misunderstood and continued the descent through 6000 ft. The first officer stated, 'there's 6000 ft, he didn't give us lower yet.' the aircraft went down to 5700 ft before climbing back up to 6000 ft. Mco approach never said anything and there appeared to be no conflicts. Within 1 min, approach gave us lower and we called the field. The rest of the flight was uneventful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT IN DSCNT. PIC PF WAS EXPECTING 'LOWER MOMENTARILY.'

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING FOR APCH INTO MCO, THE CAPT WAS THE PLT FLYING THE ACFT. THE CONDITIONS WERE CLR. WE SWITCHED OVER FROM CTR TO MCO APCH. APCH STATED, 'DSND TO 6000 FT AND LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE THE ARPT. EXPECT LOWER MOMENTARILY.' THE FO REPLIED THAT WE, 'WOULD LET APCH KNOW WHEN THE FIELD WAS IN SIGHT.' THE ACFT WAS STILL DSNDING THROUGH ABOUT 7000 FT WHILE THIS CONVERSATION WAS TAKING PLACE. THE CAPT MISUNDERSTOOD AND CONTINUED THE DSCNT THROUGH 6000 FT. THE FO STATED, 'THERE'S 6000 FT, HE DIDN'T GIVE US LOWER YET.' THE ACFT WENT DOWN TO 5700 FT BEFORE CLBING BACK UP TO 6000 FT. MCO APCH NEVER SAID ANYTHING AND THERE APPEARED TO BE NO CONFLICTS. WITHIN 1 MIN, APCH GAVE US LOWER AND WE CALLED THE FIELD. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.