DC9 cargo flight on vector to yip, cleared descend to 4000 ft. First officer, PF, airspeed indicator inoperative and necessary to xchk captain airspeed. Overshot altitude 400 ft account distraction.

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Attributes
ACN	363240
Time
Date	199703
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dtw airport : yip
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3600 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dtw tower : gjt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 20300 flight time type : 14000
ASRS Report	363240
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 4831 flight time type : 480
ASRS Report	363473
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot 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:

We were on vectors from dtw approach control on a heading of 300 degrees and a descent to 4000 ft MSL. We were about 1 mi southeast of dtw airport on vectors for yip. The first officer was flying. Since we were in such close proximity to dtw airport I was outside watching for aircraft. The first officer said expletive and I immediately came back inside. We were approximately 300 ft low. We continued to 400 ft low during the recovery and immediately climbed back to our assigned altitude. Dtw approach asked us our altitude as we were leveling at 4000 ft. I told them we were level at 4000 ft. We completed our approach to yip visually. The problem was that I was visually outside and the altitude alerter failed to alert. We wrote the altitude alerter up on landing. Supplemental information from acn 363473: we were cleared from 6000 ft to 4000 ft 1 mi east of dtw. (Airspeed indicator was inoperative on my side first officer's.) not only was I looking for traffic, I also had to look at captain's airspeed indicator.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CARGO FLT ON VECTOR TO YIP, CLRED DSND TO 4000 FT. FO, PF, AIRSPD INDICATOR INOP AND NECESSARY TO XCHK CAPT AIRSPD. OVERSHOT ALT 400 FT ACCOUNT DISTR.

Narrative: WE WERE ON VECTORS FROM DTW APCH CTL ON A HDG OF 300 DEGS AND A DSCNT TO 4000 FT MSL. WE WERE ABOUT 1 MI SE OF DTW ARPT ON VECTORS FOR YIP. THE FO WAS FLYING. SINCE WE WERE IN SUCH CLOSE PROX TO DTW ARPT I WAS OUTSIDE WATCHING FOR ACFT. THE FO SAID EXPLETIVE AND I IMMEDIATELY CAME BACK INSIDE. WE WERE APPROX 300 FT LOW. WE CONTINUED TO 400 FT LOW DURING THE RECOVERY AND IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT. DTW APCH ASKED US OUR ALT AS WE WERE LEVELING AT 4000 FT. I TOLD THEM WE WERE LEVEL AT 4000 FT. WE COMPLETED OUR APCH TO YIP VISUALLY. THE PROB WAS THAT I WAS VISUALLY OUTSIDE AND THE ALT ALERTER FAILED TO ALERT. WE WROTE THE ALT ALERTER UP ON LNDG. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 363473: WE WERE CLRED FROM 6000 FT TO 4000 FT 1 MI E OF DTW. (AIRSPD INDICATOR WAS INOP ON MY SIDE FO'S.) NOT ONLY WAS I LOOKING FOR TFC, I ALSO HAD TO LOOK AT CAPT'S AIRSPD INDICATOR.

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.