B737-200 on approach to buf was maintaining 11000 ft in turbulence, requesting lower. Many frequency changes and cabin attendant distraction. Autoplt was inoperative and heard the altitude warning and noted 250 ft low on altitude. Regained altitude and was cleared to lower. No comment from controller on deviation.

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Attributes
ACN	362920
Time
Date	199703
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : buf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10750 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : buf
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8012 flight time type : 2815
ASRS Report	362920
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
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:

Autoplt MEL'ed. Given 2 frequency changes, as cabin attendant came to cockpit to request cooler cabin. Light chop for last 10-15 mins. Third frequency change to buf approach. We requested lower as I slowed to 250 KTS. Was surprised to hear altitude alert sound, indicating 200-250 ft off altitude. Approach controller did not query as we climbed back to 11000 ft, and after she coordinated with yet another controller, we were finally given lower. In retrospect, a lot of radio work for the phase of flight, combined with turbulence, may have caused me to think we were cleared for lower since we were talking to an approach controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-200 ON APCH TO BUF WAS MAINTAINING 11000 FT IN TURB, REQUESTING LOWER. MANY FREQ CHANGES AND CABIN ATTENDANT DISTR. AUTOPLT WAS INOP AND HEARD THE ALT WARNING AND NOTED 250 FT LOW ON ALT. REGAINED ALT AND WAS CLRED TO LOWER. NO COMMENT FROM CTLR ON DEV.

Narrative: AUTOPLT MEL'ED. GIVEN 2 FREQ CHANGES, AS CABIN ATTENDANT CAME TO COCKPIT TO REQUEST COOLER CABIN. LIGHT CHOP FOR LAST 10-15 MINS. THIRD FREQ CHANGE TO BUF APCH. WE REQUESTED LOWER AS I SLOWED TO 250 KTS. WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR ALT ALERT SOUND, INDICATING 200-250 FT OFF ALT. APCH CTLR DID NOT QUERY AS WE CLBED BACK TO 11000 FT, AND AFTER SHE COORDINATED WITH YET ANOTHER CTLR, WE WERE FINALLY GIVEN LOWER. IN RETROSPECT, A LOT OF RADIO WORK FOR THE PHASE OF FLT, COMBINED WITH TURB, MAY HAVE CAUSED ME TO THINK WE WERE CLRED FOR LOWER SINCE WE WERE TALKING TO AN APCH CTLR.

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.