An S80 flight crew suffers an altitude deviation during descent when the altitude alert is bumped to the wrong altitude. Captain had been on the PA and assumed it was a valid, new altitude assignment.

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Attributes
ACN	401770
Time
Date	199805
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11500 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau tracon : ord tower : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	401770
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	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:

ATC cleared us to 12000 ft 45 mi south ord. We set 12000 ft and began our descent shortly after I made a PA to the passenger. As I was making the PA, the first officer got a frequency change and a runway assignment. As he was setting up for the approach, the altitude alert setting was bumped and it now read 11000 ft. As I made the PA I saw the new altitude and assumed that when the first officer was talking to ATC that they gave him the new altitude. When I came back on frequency we were passing 12000 ft for 11000 ft. ATC asked us to climb back to 12000 ft. We were now at 11500 ft. ATC told us that there was no conflict. Looking back, I probably should have started the PA sooner so I could have been on the frequency with the first officer as things got busy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN S80 FLC SUFFERS AN ALTDEV DURING DSCNT WHEN THE ALT ALERT IS BUMPED TO THE WRONG ALT. CAPT HAD BEEN ON THE PA AND ASSUMED IT WAS A VALID, NEW ALT ASSIGNMENT.

Narrative: ATC CLRED US TO 12000 FT 45 MI S ORD. WE SET 12000 FT AND BEGAN OUR DSCNT SHORTLY AFTER I MADE A PA TO THE PAX. AS I WAS MAKING THE PA, THE FO GOT A FREQ CHANGE AND A RWY ASSIGNMENT. AS HE WAS SETTING UP FOR THE APCH, THE ALT ALERT SETTING WAS BUMPED AND IT NOW READ 11000 FT. AS I MADE THE PA I SAW THE NEW ALT AND ASSUMED THAT WHEN THE FO WAS TALKING TO ATC THAT THEY GAVE HIM THE NEW ALT. WHEN I CAME BACK ON FREQ WE WERE PASSING 12000 FT FOR 11000 FT. ATC ASKED US TO CLB BACK TO 12000 FT. WE WERE NOW AT 11500 FT. ATC TOLD US THAT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. LOOKING BACK, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE STARTED THE PA SOONER SO I COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE FREQ WITH THE FO AS THINGS GOT BUSY.

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.