A descending DC9-230 overshoots its assigned altitude while the first officer is on the PA below 10000 ft. Low altitude operation a long distance out from ewr was indicated as an ongoing situation.

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Attributes
ACN	432050
Time
Date	199903
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5650 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 19500 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	432050
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment : altitude alert other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : n90.tracon
Airspace Structure	class b : n90.b

Narrative:

We were at 7000 ft and cleared to 6000 ft by approach control 120.15 frequency. Copilot started PA as we were 30 mi out and had been at low altitude for some time. Ewr gets you down early due to traffic into jfk and lga. I started to tune my radio navigation to ILS as we were now on a vector. Both pilots not giving full attention to altitude. I was using autoplt. I went below 6000 ft by 350 ft. I got altitude alert and started back up just as ATC called altitude to our attention. There was no conflict with any other traffic. 2 pilot airplanes get busy and workload must arranged better so one pilot is always watching altitude heading airspeed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DSNDING DC9-230 OVERSHOOTS ITS ASSIGNED ALT WHILE THE FO IS ON THE PA BELOW 10000 FT. LOW ALT OP A LONG DISTANCE OUT FROM EWR WAS INDICATED AS AN ONGOING SIT.

Narrative: WE WERE AT 7000 FT AND CLRED TO 6000 FT BY APCH CTL 120.15 FREQ. COPLT STARTED PA AS WE WERE 30 MI OUT AND HAD BEEN AT LOW ALT FOR SOME TIME. EWR GETS YOU DOWN EARLY DUE TO TFC INTO JFK AND LGA. I STARTED TO TUNE MY RADIO NAV TO ILS AS WE WERE NOW ON A VECTOR. BOTH PLTS NOT GIVING FULL ATTN TO ALT. I WAS USING AUTOPLT. I WENT BELOW 6000 FT BY 350 FT. I GOT ALT ALERT AND STARTED BACK UP JUST AS ATC CALLED ALT TO OUR ATTN. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER TFC. 2 PLT AIRPLANES GET BUSY AND WORKLOAD MUST ARRANGED BETTER SO ONE PLT IS ALWAYS WATCHING ALT HDG AIRSPD.

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.