B757 altitude deviation in holding pattern on arrival to atl.

Attributes
ACN	432432
Time
Date	199903
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : atl.vortac
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23600 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : holding descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : holding pattern arrival star : ns
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8600 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	432432
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Upon arrival in atlanta, we were given holding at macey intersection. When entering holding, we were descending to assigned FL250, passing approximately FL260. After the outbound turn in holding, I informed captain that I wanted to make a PA to the passenger concerning the delay/holding. It was the captain's leg and I had been talking to ATC so he took the ATC radio while I made the PA. While talking on the PA, I saw the captain reset the altitude controller to FL230. My ATC volume was down so I didn't hear the instructions or the captain's readback. After the PA, and during the inbound turn to macey intersection, we were descending through FL236 and ZTL said to verify we were leveling at FL240. I replied we were descending to FL230. The controller instructed us to return to FL240. The captain said he had heard and read back 'FL230.' we returned to FL240 and nothing further was said about the deviation by ATC. While my PA to the passenger only took about 1 min, I should have had the ATC radio volume at least partially up. I turned it down because of the high volume of radio traffic. I didn't question the altitude change because we had been stepped down 1000-2000 ft at a time from cruise altitude, and it seemed 'normal' to me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 ALTDEV IN HOLDING PATTERN ON ARR TO ATL.

Narrative: UPON ARR IN ATLANTA, WE WERE GIVEN HOLDING AT MACEY INTXN. WHEN ENTERING HOLDING, WE WERE DSNDING TO ASSIGNED FL250, PASSING APPROX FL260. AFTER THE OUTBOUND TURN IN HOLDING, I INFORMED CAPT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE A PA TO THE PAX CONCERNING THE DELAY/HOLDING. IT WAS THE CAPT'S LEG AND I HAD BEEN TALKING TO ATC SO HE TOOK THE ATC RADIO WHILE I MADE THE PA. WHILE TALKING ON THE PA, I SAW THE CAPT RESET THE ALT CTLR TO FL230. MY ATC VOLUME WAS DOWN SO I DIDN'T HEAR THE INSTRUCTIONS OR THE CAPT'S READBACK. AFTER THE PA, AND DURING THE INBOUND TURN TO MACEY INTXN, WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH FL236 AND ZTL SAID TO VERIFY WE WERE LEVELING AT FL240. I REPLIED WE WERE DSNDING TO FL230. THE CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO RETURN TO FL240. THE CAPT SAID HE HAD HEARD AND READ BACK 'FL230.' WE RETURNED TO FL240 AND NOTHING FURTHER WAS SAID ABOUT THE DEV BY ATC. WHILE MY PA TO THE PAX ONLY TOOK ABOUT 1 MIN, I SHOULD HAVE HAD THE ATC RADIO VOLUME AT LEAST PARTIALLY UP. I TURNED IT DOWN BECAUSE OF THE HIGH VOLUME OF RADIO TFC. I DIDN'T QUESTION THE ALT CHANGE BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN STEPPED DOWN 1000-2000 FT AT A TIME FROM CRUISE ALT, AND IT SEEMED 'NORMAL' TO ME.

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.