A B727 flight crew descended below assigned altitude approaching lga.

Attributes
ACN	437663
Time
Date	199905
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zny.artcc
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12700 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc tower : iad.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other ndb
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	arrival star : mines 5
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	437663
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	437590
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to original clearance 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 13000 ft, allowed aircraft to descend below altitude momentarily. No traffic conflict noted. No call by ATC. While setting up for second approach of the day to minimums at lga, had aircraft in shallow descent. Gave aircraft to copilot. As leveloff approached, took control of aircraft but did not engage altitude hold due to heading change distraction. Slipped below, started correction immediately at about 12900 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 FLC DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT APCHING LGA.

Narrative: ON DSCNT TO 13000 FT, ALLOWED ACFT TO DSND BELOW ALT MOMENTARILY. NO TFC CONFLICT NOTED. NO CALL BY ATC. WHILE SETTING UP FOR SECOND APCH OF THE DAY TO MINIMUMS AT LGA, HAD ACFT IN SHALLOW DSCNT. GAVE ACFT TO COPLT. AS LEVELOFF APCHED, TOOK CTL OF ACFT BUT DID NOT ENGAGE ALT HOLD DUE TO HDG CHANGE DISTR. SLIPPED BELOW, STARTED CORRECTION IMMEDIATELY AT ABOUT 12900 FT.

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.