An air carrier flight crew flying B727 descending near csi failed to level off at assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	439360
Time
Date	199906
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : csi.vortac
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 6500
ASRS Report	439360
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 10700 flight time type : 7500
ASRS Report	439361
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 original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On descent into san antonio, initially proceeding csi. Given clearance to cross csi at 10000 ft. Asked for and received a vector to avoid WX near csi on arrival route. Initial heading 160 degrees. We were then told to slow to 250 KTS. Center then requested to fly heading 180 degrees. At some point we were asked to stop descent at 14000 ft MSL. I do not remember hearing that amendment, but 14000 ft was in altitude alert window. No 1000 ft above call was made and passing 13500 ft, first officer stated we were to stop at 14000 ft. An immediate climb back to 14000 ft was made. Bottomed out at 13000 ft with no traffic conflicts. During the descent the so was communicating with maintenance about an aircraft logbook write. He queried me twice about the write-up for maintenance. The first officer was tuning the navs and missed the 1000 ft call, and I never heard nor responded to the altitude change/amendment. This altitude deviation was a result of cockpit distractions, and communications within cockpit breaking down.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC FLYING B727 DSNDING NEAR CSI FAILED TO LEVEL OFF AT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ON DSCNT INTO SAN ANTONIO, INITIALLY PROCEEDING CSI. GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS CSI AT 10000 FT. ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED A VECTOR TO AVOID WX NEAR CSI ON ARR RTE. INITIAL HDG 160 DEGS. WE WERE THEN TOLD TO SLOW TO 250 KTS. CTR THEN REQUESTED TO FLY HDG 180 DEGS. AT SOME POINT WE WERE ASKED TO STOP DSCNT AT 14000 FT MSL. I DO NOT REMEMBER HEARING THAT AMENDMENT, BUT 14000 FT WAS IN ALT ALERT WINDOW. NO 1000 FT ABOVE CALL WAS MADE AND PASSING 13500 FT, FO STATED WE WERE TO STOP AT 14000 FT. AN IMMEDIATE CLB BACK TO 14000 FT WAS MADE. BOTTOMED OUT AT 13000 FT WITH NO TFC CONFLICTS. DURING THE DSCNT THE SO WAS COMMUNICATING WITH MAINT ABOUT AN ACFT LOGBOOK WRITE. HE QUERIED ME TWICE ABOUT THE WRITE-UP FOR MAINT. THE FO WAS TUNING THE NAVS AND MISSED THE 1000 FT CALL, AND I NEVER HEARD NOR RESPONDED TO THE ALT CHANGE/AMENDMENT. THIS ALTDEV WAS A RESULT OF COCKPIT DISTRACTIONS, AND COMS WITHIN COCKPIT BREAKING DOWN.

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.