A B737 air carrier flight crew descend below their assigned altitude when the flight crew was distraction. The aircraft is not equipped with altitude capture mode.

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Attributes
ACN	366120
Time
Date	199704
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pxv
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 32300 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zme
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 6000
ASRS Report	366120
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Captain distraction at leveloff altitude. First officer flying aircraft descended 700 ft through assigned altitude. Captain recognized deviation 550 ft low and instructed first officer to climb back to assigned leveloff altitude. ATC called aircraft 600 ft low and asked assigned altitude and issued a 30 degree course change. Aircraft climbed back to FL330 and was cleared back to original heading. Aircraft below assigned altitude less than 40 seconds. This aircraft is 1 of only 3 aircraft out of 54 that does not have automatic altitude capture! (Habitual routine.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 ACR FLC DSND BELOW THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THE FLC WAS DISTR. THE ACFT IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH ALT CAPTURE MODE.

Narrative: CAPT DISTR AT LEVELOFF ALT. FO FLYING ACFT DSNDED 700 FT THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT. CAPT RECOGNIZED DEV 550 FT LOW AND INSTRUCTED FO TO CLB BACK TO ASSIGNED LEVELOFF ALT. ATC CALLED ACFT 600 FT LOW AND ASKED ASSIGNED ALT AND ISSUED A 30 DEG COURSE CHANGE. ACFT CLBED BACK TO FL330 AND WAS CLRED BACK TO ORIGINAL HDG. ACFT BELOW ASSIGNED ALT LESS THAN 40 SECONDS. THIS ACFT IS 1 OF ONLY 3 ACFT OUT OF 54 THAT DOES NOT HAVE AUTOMATIC ALT CAPTURE! (HABITUAL ROUTINE.)

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.