Flight crew of a B727 overshot descent assigned altitude due to traffic watch and WX distraction.

Attributes
ACN	435740
Time
Date	199904
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hif.airport
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : s56.tracon tower : slc.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	435740
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 flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned airspace
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On descent to destination, cleared to 8000 ft, the controller called our traffic to our crew as we passed through above 8300 ft MSL. We sighted the traffic and reported so. When the crew brought its attention back into the cockpit, the altitude showed 7500 ft MSL. Quick corrective action was taken to correct back to 8000 ft MSL within 10 seconds. A combination of discussion of approaching rain showers as the traffic was called out and complacency on the part of the crew resulted in this deviation. Nothing was said by the controller in response to this incident. The crew was highly qualified. Incident was thoroughly debriefed amongst the crew when on the ground.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B727 OVERSHOT DSCNT ASSIGNED ALT DUE TO TFC WATCH AND WX DISTR.

Narrative: ON DSCNT TO DEST, CLRED TO 8000 FT, THE CTLR CALLED OUR TFC TO OUR CREW AS WE PASSED THROUGH ABOVE 8300 FT MSL. WE SIGHTED THE TFC AND RPTED SO. WHEN THE CREW BROUGHT ITS ATTN BACK INTO THE COCKPIT, THE ALT SHOWED 7500 FT MSL. QUICK CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN TO CORRECT BACK TO 8000 FT MSL WITHIN 10 SECONDS. A COMBINATION OF DISCUSSION OF APCHING RAIN SHOWERS AS THE TFC WAS CALLED OUT AND COMPLACENCY ON THE PART OF THE CREW RESULTED IN THIS DEV. NOTHING WAS SAID BY THE CTLR IN RESPONSE TO THIS INCIDENT. THE CREW WAS HIGHLY QUALIFIED. INCIDENT WAS THOROUGHLY DEBRIEFED AMONGST THE CREW WHEN ON THE GND.

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.