An unspecified light transport descending into pbi failed to maintain assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	424950
Time
Date	199901
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pbi
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 80000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mkg
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	424950
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While letting down into the palm beach air traffic area we were given a clearance of 'direct to pahoke (phk) and track outbound on the 092 degree radial at 8000 ft. The captain proceeded direct to phk but was too busy looking outside while IMC to look at the buttons on the autoplt head (of which I have warned him of in the past) before he would push them, thus on numerous occasions he has confused the FMS/autoplt by pushing several at a time. The aircraft did not level at 8000 ft but continued on to 7400 ft MSL before he stopped the descent. All the time I was telling him to 'watch your altitude.' he then stayed at 7500 ft MSL for a few mins and then began his climb very easy so as not to bring to attention this situation to the people in back. He was way more worried about the comfort of the passenger then the altitude deviation. The PIC was typed at a flight training center and I really don't see how he made it. In my duties of providing 'IOE' to this company I continue to be amazed at their lack of system knowledge and their more concern for passenger's comfort than a really safe trip.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN UNSPECIFIED LIGHT TRANSPORT DSNDING INTO PBI FAILED TO MAINTAIN ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: WHILE LETTING DOWN INTO THE PALM BEACH ATA WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC OF 'DIRECT TO PAHOKE (PHK) AND TRACK OUTBOUND ON THE 092 DEG RADIAL AT 8000 FT. THE CAPT PROCEEDED DIRECT TO PHK BUT WAS TOO BUSY LOOKING OUTSIDE WHILE IMC TO LOOK AT THE BUTTONS ON THE AUTOPLT HEAD (OF WHICH I HAVE WARNED HIM OF IN THE PAST) BEFORE HE WOULD PUSH THEM, THUS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS HE HAS CONFUSED THE FMS/AUTOPLT BY PUSHING SEVERAL AT A TIME. THE ACFT DID NOT LEVEL AT 8000 FT BUT CONTINUED ON TO 7400 FT MSL BEFORE HE STOPPED THE DSCNT. ALL THE TIME I WAS TELLING HIM TO 'WATCH YOUR ALT.' HE THEN STAYED AT 7500 FT MSL FOR A FEW MINS AND THEN BEGAN HIS CLB VERY EASY SO AS NOT TO BRING TO ATTN THIS SIT TO THE PEOPLE IN BACK. HE WAS WAY MORE WORRIED ABOUT THE COMFORT OF THE PAX THEN THE ALTDEV. THE PIC WAS TYPED AT A FLT TRAINING CTR AND I REALLY DON'T SEE HOW HE MADE IT. IN MY DUTIES OF PROVIDING 'IOE' TO THIS COMPANY I CONTINUE TO BE AMAZED AT THEIR LACK OF SYS KNOWLEDGE AND THEIR MORE CONCERN FOR PAX'S COMFORT THAN A REALLY SAFE TRIP.

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.