B737-200 flight crew descends below assigned altitude approaching mci.

Attributes
ACN	445360
Time
Date	199908
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mkc.vortac
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5200 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mci.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 8400
ASRS Report	445360
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer was flying on about a 270 degree heading, descending to 6000 ft MSL assigned. Vectors were for a visual approach to mci runway 1R. We descended through 6000 ft to 5200 ft MSL, started to correct back, and approach gave us a descent to 4000 ft MSL. Proper '1000 ft' callouts were made at 7000 ft MSL, but I missed the first officer's descent through assigned 6000 ft MSL and do not remember hearing the altitude alert. Aircraft was a B737-200 without automatic-leveloff feature. I was looking for the airport/traffic and missed the mistake. The first officer was flying and using instruments, but missed his leveloff. With the '1000 ft to go call' made and the first officer on instruments, I made the mistake of looking out and not monitoring his leveloff. First officer had lots of experience and was doing a good job in this model all day (previous day was in a B737-700, with autoplt leveloff) and I must have become too lax in backing him up on the leveloff. We just need to stay with the leveloff in the B737-200 until the 'altitude hold' is engaged.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-200 FLC DSNDS BELOW ASSIGNED ALT APCHING MCI.

Narrative: FO WAS FLYING ON ABOUT A 270 DEG HDG, DSNDING TO 6000 FT MSL ASSIGNED. VECTORS WERE FOR A VISUAL APCH TO MCI RWY 1R. WE DSNDED THROUGH 6000 FT TO 5200 FT MSL, STARTED TO CORRECT BACK, AND APCH GAVE US A DSCNT TO 4000 FT MSL. PROPER '1000 FT' CALLOUTS WERE MADE AT 7000 FT MSL, BUT I MISSED THE FO'S DSCNT THROUGH ASSIGNED 6000 FT MSL AND DO NOT REMEMBER HEARING THE ALT ALERT. ACFT WAS A B737-200 WITHOUT AUTO-LEVELOFF FEATURE. I WAS LOOKING FOR THE ARPT/TFC AND MISSED THE MISTAKE. THE FO WAS FLYING AND USING INSTS, BUT MISSED HIS LEVELOFF. WITH THE '1000 FT TO GO CALL' MADE AND THE FO ON INSTS, I MADE THE MISTAKE OF LOOKING OUT AND NOT MONITORING HIS LEVELOFF. FO HAD LOTS OF EXPERIENCE AND WAS DOING A GOOD JOB IN THIS MODEL ALL DAY (PREVIOUS DAY WAS IN A B737-700, WITH AUTOPLT LEVELOFF) AND I MUST HAVE BECOME TOO LAX IN BACKING HIM UP ON THE LEVELOFF. WE JUST NEED TO STAY WITH THE LEVELOFF IN THE B737-200 UNTIL THE 'ALT HOLD' IS ENGAGED.

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.