C550 aircraft on descent overshot altitude when passenger asked question of PF, captain. Altitude al...

Attributes
ACN	385850
Time
Date	199711
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tys
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tys
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation I
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 2600
ASRS Report	385850
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Knoxville approach control gave us a descent to 7000 ft for our landing at tys runway 23R. I was using the autoplt and my copilot set 7000 ft in the altitude selector. I pressed the arm button on the autoplt to descend to 7000 ft MSL. Our descent was at about 2000 FPM. At 8000 ft I rolled the pitch up to about 1500 FPM. At approximately 7300 ft as I was bringing the pitch up and decreasing our rate of descent, one of our passenger came forward and asked if we had arranged a taxi for their arrival. When he distracted us the autoplt was capturing and I rolled the pitch wheel up some more disabling the altitude select on the autoplt. The altitude select sounded aurally and visually at 6500 ft MSL, where I began a climb back up to 7000 ft. Then soon after approach said he showed us at 6500 ft and to maintain 7000 ft, which we soon did. Contributing factors include the flight crew's failure to call altitude increments and 7000 ft MSL. Also, disruption by passenger when the 'fasten seat belts' sign was on and coming forward to the flight crew. After landing I called the controling facility to apologize and make sure we did not create a conflict with another aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C550 ACFT ON DSCNT OVERSHOT ALT WHEN PAX ASKED QUESTION OF PF, CAPT. ALT ALERT BROUGHT FLC'S ATTN TO ALT AND ACFT WAS CLBED BACK TO ASSIGNED.

Narrative: KNOXVILLE APCH CTL GAVE US A DSCNT TO 7000 FT FOR OUR LNDG AT TYS RWY 23R. I WAS USING THE AUTOPLT AND MY COPLT SET 7000 FT IN THE ALT SELECTOR. I PRESSED THE ARM BUTTON ON THE AUTOPLT TO DSND TO 7000 FT MSL. OUR DSCNT WAS AT ABOUT 2000 FPM. AT 8000 FT I ROLLED THE PITCH UP TO ABOUT 1500 FPM. AT APPROX 7300 FT AS I WAS BRINGING THE PITCH UP AND DECREASING OUR RATE OF DSCNT, ONE OF OUR PAX CAME FORWARD AND ASKED IF WE HAD ARRANGED A TAXI FOR THEIR ARR. WHEN HE DISTRACTED US THE AUTOPLT WAS CAPTURING AND I ROLLED THE PITCH WHEEL UP SOME MORE DISABLING THE ALT SELECT ON THE AUTOPLT. THE ALT SELECT SOUNDED AURALLY AND VISUALLY AT 6500 FT MSL, WHERE I BEGAN A CLB BACK UP TO 7000 FT. THEN SOON AFTER APCH SAID HE SHOWED US AT 6500 FT AND TO MAINTAIN 7000 FT, WHICH WE SOON DID. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE THE FLC'S FAILURE TO CALL ALT INCREMENTS AND 7000 FT MSL. ALSO, DISRUPTION BY PAX WHEN THE 'FASTEN SEAT BELTS' SIGN WAS ON AND COMING FORWARD TO THE FLC. AFTER LNDG I CALLED THE CTLING FACILITY TO APOLOGIZE AND MAKE SURE WE DID NOT CREATE A CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT.

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.

C550 aircraft on descent overshot altitude when passenger asked question of PF, captain. Altitude alert brought flight crew's attention to altitude and aircraft was climbed back to assigned.