Narrative:

Approach had given us descent from 10000 ft to 6000 ft. I was hand flying because autoplt was inoperative. In the descent my new first officer (1 week) was picking up AWOS at M33 and I was handling radios. I was just passing 6500 ft when first officer started briefing AWOS and possible approach. This distraction me, and when I next checked my altitude, I was 400-500 ft below assigned altitude. I immediately corrected, ATC advised to maintain 6000 ft. Contributing factors to this altitude deviation were the heavy workload of hand flying, watching a new first officer and getting distraction at the moment I should have started leveling. As a crew we discussed the deviation after landing. We agreed that our CRM needed to improve. We agreed that the PNF needs to be more aware of situation when coming back in the loop after getting WX, talking to FBO's, etc. An interesting note: I have flown this aircraft for 3 yrs and have flown single pilot for 2/3 of that time. In the times that I have flown single pilot I have not experienced a single altitude deviation or ATC deviation. The workload increases on a captain with a new first officer for this will be the third ATC deviation I have experienced with a 2-MAN crew. This is due in part to on-the-job training for the first officer and no formal training has been available. Supplemental information from acn 388550: we were in IMC and light turbulence during the situation. The other pilot and myself had only been flying together for 1 1/2 weeks and were still trying to develop good cockpit communication and interaction.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR SMT DSNDING TO 6000 FT OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT DUE TO FLC BRIEFING BEING DONE DURING THE DSCNT. CAPT AND NEW FO HAD NOT YET DEVELOPED CRM PROCS AND NO FORMAL TRAINING AVAILABLE FOR THE FO.

Narrative: APCH HAD GIVEN US DSCNT FROM 10000 FT TO 6000 FT. I WAS HAND FLYING BECAUSE AUTOPLT WAS INOP. IN THE DSCNT MY NEW FO (1 WK) WAS PICKING UP AWOS AT M33 AND I WAS HANDLING RADIOS. I WAS JUST PASSING 6500 FT WHEN FO STARTED BRIEFING AWOS AND POSSIBLE APCH. THIS DISTR ME, AND WHEN I NEXT CHKED MY ALT, I WAS 400-500 FT BELOW ASSIGNED ALT. I IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED, ATC ADVISED TO MAINTAIN 6000 FT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS ALTDEV WERE THE HVY WORKLOAD OF HAND FLYING, WATCHING A NEW FO AND GETTING DISTR AT THE MOMENT I SHOULD HAVE STARTED LEVELING. AS A CREW WE DISCUSSED THE DEV AFTER LNDG. WE AGREED THAT OUR CRM NEEDED TO IMPROVE. WE AGREED THAT THE PNF NEEDS TO BE MORE AWARE OF SIT WHEN COMING BACK IN THE LOOP AFTER GETTING WX, TALKING TO FBO'S, ETC. AN INTERESTING NOTE: I HAVE FLOWN THIS ACFT FOR 3 YRS AND HAVE FLOWN SINGLE PLT FOR 2/3 OF THAT TIME. IN THE TIMES THAT I HAVE FLOWN SINGLE PLT I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED A SINGLE ALTDEV OR ATC DEV. THE WORKLOAD INCREASES ON A CAPT WITH A NEW FO FOR THIS WILL BE THE THIRD ATC DEV I HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH A 2-MAN CREW. THIS IS DUE IN PART TO ON-THE-JOB TRAINING FOR THE FO AND NO FORMAL TRAINING HAS BEEN AVAILABLE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 388550: WE WERE IN IMC AND LIGHT TURB DURING THE SIT. THE OTHER PLT AND MYSELF HAD ONLY BEEN FLYING TOGETHER FOR 1 1/2 WKS AND WERE STILL TRYING TO DEVELOP GOOD COCKPIT COM AND INTERACTION.

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.