Narrative:

ZHN cleared our aircraft to 9000 ft. I was looking at a chart and as we passed 10000 ft, I called 'out of 10000 ft.' the next thing I realized, the captain says, 'oh no, our assigned altitude is 9000 ft' (we were at 8300 ft). At that point, ZHN had us contact hilo approach. Approach then assigned us a heading and clearance to descend to 3000 ft and asked us what altitude we were passing through. We reported we were at 8300 ft. The cause of the problem was both the captain's attention and mine were diverted. Mine with the chart and the captain was trying to get the autoplt to track to the VOR. During critical phases of flight (descent) especially below 10000 ft, divert your attention with charts and other work only in straight and level flight. Supplemental information from acn 407016: I slowed to 250 KIAS at 10000 ft in accordance with regulations and perhaps was concentrating on speed as I passed through my assigned altitude. No approaching altitude calls were given by PNF. Altitude alert in this aircraft is nonstandard, and its usefulness, especially during daylight, is questionable. It gives a blue light, center console, as 1000 ft to go is reached, with a tone as 500 ft to go is reached. It is hard to see and hear. Future action: full crew brief on leveloff altitude calls: 1000 ft to go, approaching leveloff altitude, and both PNF and flight engineer to monitor altitude -- especially in climb and descent. Realizing that safeguards do not always prevent such gross errors, I will be especially cognizant of altitude assignments.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FREIGHTER B727-200 DSNDS THROUGH ITS ASSIGNED ALT OF 9000 FT GOING INTO HILO, HI.

Narrative: ZHN CLRED OUR ACFT TO 9000 FT. I WAS LOOKING AT A CHART AND AS WE PASSED 10000 FT, I CALLED 'OUT OF 10000 FT.' THE NEXT THING I REALIZED, THE CAPT SAYS, 'OH NO, OUR ASSIGNED ALT IS 9000 FT' (WE WERE AT 8300 FT). AT THAT POINT, ZHN HAD US CONTACT HILO APCH. APCH THEN ASSIGNED US A HDG AND CLRNC TO DSND TO 3000 FT AND ASKED US WHAT ALT WE WERE PASSING THROUGH. WE RPTED WE WERE AT 8300 FT. THE CAUSE OF THE PROB WAS BOTH THE CAPT'S ATTN AND MINE WERE DIVERTED. MINE WITH THE CHART AND THE CAPT WAS TRYING TO GET THE AUTOPLT TO TRACK TO THE VOR. DURING CRITICAL PHASES OF FLT (DSCNT) ESPECIALLY BELOW 10000 FT, DIVERT YOUR ATTN WITH CHARTS AND OTHER WORK ONLY IN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 407016: I SLOWED TO 250 KIAS AT 10000 FT IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGS AND PERHAPS WAS CONCENTRATING ON SPD AS I PASSED THROUGH MY ASSIGNED ALT. NO APCHING ALT CALLS WERE GIVEN BY PNF. ALT ALERT IN THIS ACFT IS NONSTANDARD, AND ITS USEFULNESS, ESPECIALLY DURING DAYLIGHT, IS QUESTIONABLE. IT GIVES A BLUE LIGHT, CTR CONSOLE, AS 1000 FT TO GO IS REACHED, WITH A TONE AS 500 FT TO GO IS REACHED. IT IS HARD TO SEE AND HEAR. FUTURE ACTION: FULL CREW BRIEF ON LEVELOFF ALT CALLS: 1000 FT TO GO, APCHING LEVELOFF ALT, AND BOTH PNF AND FE TO MONITOR ALT -- ESPECIALLY IN CLB AND DSCNT. REALIZING THAT SAFEGUARDS DO NOT ALWAYS PREVENT SUCH GROSS ERRORS, I WILL BE ESPECIALLY COGNIZANT OF ALT ASSIGNMENTS.

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.