A B727 PIC overshoots his leveloff crossing altitude at pvd, ri.

Attributes
ACN	442997
Time
Date	199907
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pvd.airport
State Reference	RI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10625 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.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 Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	442997
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were descending from altitude to cross pvd at 11000 ft and 250 KTS on STAR into bos. Planned to arrive at 11000 ft a little early (3-5 mi) due to strong tailwind. Passing through about FL180 we were told to slow to 250 KTS now. This complicated descent planning as our rate of descent slowed greatly as airspeed came back to 250 KTS. Extended spoilers to aid in descent. With spoilers we were back on profile and would make crossing restr with 1-2 mi to spare. As we passed through approximately 12000 ft I retracted spoilers and began to slow descent rate. Autoplt started some pitch excursions with stabilizer out of trim light illuminated. I disconnected autoplt to do a manual leveloff. Upon disconnect pitch thumped hard downward. Tried to make recovery as smooth as possible as I knew flight attendants were in aisles. Sacrificed some altitude for a low 'G' force recovery. Attitude went 350-375 ft below assigned. Controller asked about altitude as we were in upward recovery. Said no traffic conflict and no problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 PIC OVERSHOOTS HIS LEVELOFF XING ALT AT PVD, RI.

Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING FROM ALT TO CROSS PVD AT 11000 FT AND 250 KTS ON STAR INTO BOS. PLANNED TO ARRIVE AT 11000 FT A LITTLE EARLY (3-5 MI) DUE TO STRONG TAILWIND. PASSING THROUGH ABOUT FL180 WE WERE TOLD TO SLOW TO 250 KTS NOW. THIS COMPLICATED DSCNT PLANNING AS OUR RATE OF DSCNT SLOWED GREATLY AS AIRSPD CAME BACK TO 250 KTS. EXTENDED SPOILERS TO AID IN DSCNT. WITH SPOILERS WE WERE BACK ON PROFILE AND WOULD MAKE XING RESTR WITH 1-2 MI TO SPARE. AS WE PASSED THROUGH APPROX 12000 FT I RETRACTED SPOILERS AND BEGAN TO SLOW DSCNT RATE. AUTOPLT STARTED SOME PITCH EXCURSIONS WITH STABILIZER OUT OF TRIM LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT TO DO A MANUAL LEVELOFF. UPON DISCONNECT PITCH THUMPED HARD DOWNWARD. TRIED TO MAKE RECOVERY AS SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE AS I KNEW FLT ATTENDANTS WERE IN AISLES. SACRIFICED SOME ALT FOR A LOW 'G' FORCE RECOVERY. ATTITUDE WENT 350-375 FT BELOW ASSIGNED. CTLR ASKED ABOUT ALT AS WE WERE IN UPWARD RECOVERY. SAID NO TFC CONFLICT AND NO PROB.

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.