A jetstream 32 flight crew descended below assigned altitude on arrival to bwi.

Attributes
ACN	437770
Time
Date	199905
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3650 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 32
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	437770
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	437771
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
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:

While performing descent and approach checklist, received clearance to descend from 5000 ft down to 4000 ft. (I believe these are the right altitudes.) also received frequency change. Descended through assigned altitude by approximately 350 ft. Corrected as soon as the deviation was noted. Factors contributing to this situation were: a very short leg flown below 10000 ft, making workload high. Pilot flying only having 100 hours in airplane make and model, and two months on the line. Pilot flying attention divided between approach briefing and flying duties at critical time, PNF distraction by frequency change and checklist duties. This situation could have been avoided if descent and approach checklist was started sooner, or put on hold until in level flight, when workload was at a min.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A JETSTREAM 32 FLC DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT ON ARR TO BWI.

Narrative: WHILE PERFORMING DSCNT AND APCH CHKLIST, RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND FROM 5000 FT DOWN TO 4000 FT. (I BELIEVE THESE ARE THE RIGHT ALTS.) ALSO RECEIVED FREQ CHANGE. DSNDED THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT BY APPROX 350 FT. CORRECTED AS SOON AS THE DEV WAS NOTED. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS SIT WERE: A VERY SHORT LEG FLOWN BELOW 10000 FT, MAKING WORKLOAD HIGH. PLT FLYING ONLY HAVING 100 HRS IN AIRPLANE MAKE AND MODEL, AND TWO MONTHS ON THE LINE. PLT FLYING ATTN DIVIDED BTWN APCH BRIEFING AND FLYING DUTIES AT CRITICAL TIME, PNF DISTR BY FREQ CHANGE AND CHKLIST DUTIES. THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF DSCNT AND APCH CHKLIST WAS STARTED SOONER, OR PUT ON HOLD UNTIL IN LEVEL FLT, WHEN WORKLOAD WAS AT A MIN.

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.