B727 captain, distraction by non essential conversation with jump seat trainee, allowed first officer to descend below cleared altitude in ZMP airspace.

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Attributes
ACN	403470
Time
Date	199805
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dlh
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12500 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zmp
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain observation : company check pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	403470
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
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:

Copilot descended through assigned altitude while training. Captain was distraction by question from jump seat occupant. A classic example of letting your guard down when flying on a training mission with highly experienced students transitioning to new equipment. The incident highlights the need to never make assumptions of capabilities or skill levels of persons in other seat. Also to never allow distrs to interfere with critical tasks. Such a situation almost always develops under ideal operating conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CAPT, DISTR BY NON ESSENTIAL CONVERSATION WITH JUMP SEAT TRAINEE, ALLOWED FO TO DSND BELOW CLRED ALT IN ZMP AIRSPACE.

Narrative: COPLT DSNDED THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT WHILE TRAINING. CAPT WAS DISTR BY QUESTION FROM JUMP SEAT OCCUPANT. A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF LETTING YOUR GUARD DOWN WHEN FLYING ON A TRAINING MISSION WITH HIGHLY EXPERIENCED STUDENTS TRANSITIONING TO NEW EQUIP. THE INCIDENT HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED TO NEVER MAKE ASSUMPTIONS OF CAPABILITIES OR SKILL LEVELS OF PERSONS IN OTHER SEAT. ALSO TO NEVER ALLOW DISTRS TO INTERFERE WITH CRITICAL TASKS. SUCH A SIT ALMOST ALWAYS DEVELOPS UNDER IDEAL OPERATING CONDITIONS.

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.