BE02 aircraft in descent with altitude restr overshot altitude by 500 ft.

Attributes
ACN	385660
Time
Date	199711
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdx
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pdx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zse
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 4120 flight time type : 770
ASRS Report	385660
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
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:

Flight on descent to portland was cleared to 9000 ft before reaching harzl intersection. At 10000 ft the 1000 ft to level off call was made by both pilots at about that time I was copying the ATIS for portland. After copying the ATIS and reading it to the captain, I began getting out the appropriate charts for portland. I heard the altitude alarm and looked up to see the altitude descending through 8700 ft MSL. I called 'altitude' and the captain began a correction but the descent reached 8500 ft before it was arrested completely and we returned to 9000 ft. I as the PNF must keep a close check on the instruments, especially during changes in the aircraft's altitude, heading, or confign.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE02 ACFT IN DSCNT WITH ALT RESTR OVERSHOT ALT BY 500 FT.

Narrative: FLT ON DSCNT TO PORTLAND WAS CLRED TO 9000 FT BEFORE REACHING HARZL INTXN. AT 10000 FT THE 1000 FT TO LEVEL OFF CALL WAS MADE BY BOTH PLTS AT ABOUT THAT TIME I WAS COPYING THE ATIS FOR PORTLAND. AFTER COPYING THE ATIS AND READING IT TO THE CAPT, I BEGAN GETTING OUT THE APPROPRIATE CHARTS FOR PORTLAND. I HEARD THE ALT ALARM AND LOOKED UP TO SEE THE ALT DSNDING THROUGH 8700 FT MSL. I CALLED 'ALT' AND THE CAPT BEGAN A CORRECTION BUT THE DSCNT REACHED 8500 FT BEFORE IT WAS ARRESTED COMPLETELY AND WE RETURNED TO 9000 FT. I AS THE PNF MUST KEEP A CLOSE CHK ON THE INSTS, ESPECIALLY DURING CHANGES IN THE ACFT'S ALT, HEADING, OR CONFIGN.

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.