Narrative:

Upon completing a descent and in-range checklist and a passenger briefing, I contacted the FSS for TA's and local conditions at the airport. As the PNF, I took notes as the information was being disseminated, so I may reiterate them to my first officer, as he was busy flying the aircraft and monitoring center during our descent. As I concluded my contact with the FSS, I checked back on with my first officer and I declared I was resuming communications with center. Throughout the descent, my first officer and I maintained visual contact with the departing traffic from at least 20 NM. Unfortunately, we deviated from an assigned altitude during the descent as we steered well clear of the departing traffic. I was convinced we were cleared for a visual approach and we were maintaining visual separation. Soon thereafter, we executed a visual approach and landed, canceling IFR on the ground with the jbr FSS. The gap in communication between my first officer and I, and ATC, was an oversight on my part, which contributed to an altitude deviation. I have learned that no matter how busy I may be while conducting tasks as PNF does not relieve me of my responsibilities as PIC of my aircraft. As a result, I now conduct operations increasingly precisely and concisely.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON DSCNT, FLC DEVIATED FROM ASSIGNED ALT AND MADE VISUAL APCH TO LAND.

Narrative: UPON COMPLETING A DSCNT AND IN-RANGE CHKLIST AND A PAX BRIEFING, I CONTACTED THE FSS FOR TA'S AND LCL CONDITIONS AT THE ARPT. AS THE PNF, I TOOK NOTES AS THE INFO WAS BEING DISSEMINATED, SO I MAY REITERATE THEM TO MY FO, AS HE WAS BUSY FLYING THE ACFT AND MONITORING CTR DURING OUR DSCNT. AS I CONCLUDED MY CONTACT WITH THE FSS, I CHKED BACK ON WITH MY FO AND I DECLARED I WAS RESUMING COMS WITH CTR. THROUGHOUT THE DSCNT, MY FO AND I MAINTAINED VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE DEPARTING TFC FROM AT LEAST 20 NM. UNFORTUNATELY, WE DEVIATED FROM AN ASSIGNED ALT DURING THE DSCNT AS WE STEERED WELL CLR OF THE DEPARTING TFC. I WAS CONVINCED WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH AND WE WERE MAINTAINING VISUAL SEPARATION. SOON THEREAFTER, WE EXECUTED A VISUAL APCH AND LANDED, CANCELING IFR ON THE GND WITH THE JBR FSS. THE GAP IN COM BTWN MY FO AND I, AND ATC, WAS AN OVERSIGHT ON MY PART, WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO AN ALTDEV. I HAVE LEARNED THAT NO MATTER HOW BUSY I MAY BE WHILE CONDUCTING TASKS AS PNF DOES NOT RELIEVE ME OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS PIC OF MY ACFT. AS A RESULT, I NOW CONDUCT OPS INCREASINGLY PRECISELY AND CONCISELY.

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.