A DC10 flight crew descended below the assigned altitude near ind.

Attributes
ACN	446168
Time
Date	199908
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ind.airport
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9700 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ind.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	446168
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	446170
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 altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Captain flying aircraft and went 300 ft below assigned altitude in descent from 11000 ft to 10000 ft. Went to 9700 ft then quickly corrected back to 10000 ft. We were in visual contact with the airfield and first officer and so were distraction momentarily looking for the race track. This was the second leg of the trip that had a show time of XA10. We were fatigued due to the inability to get proper sleep prior to the trip. Also, whenever you have to fly through sunrise it is more fatiguing. We should not have to fly morning out and back trips. Confusion occurred over altitude due to fatigue and visual contact with airfield. We seemed to be very high and due to the fatigue, I confused my mental preparation for a visual approach with what we were cleared for. In an effort to stay mentally alert, the first officer and so were looking around outside the aircraft and missed my not leveling at 10000 ft till just as we passed through the altitude. Corrective actions: 1) be more attentive during altitude capture. 2) try to keep crew more focused inside the aircraft on descent. 3) try to make crew scheduling aware of the effect of this type of scheduling on crew performance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC10 FLC DSNDED BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALT NEAR IND.

Narrative: CAPT FLYING ACFT AND WENT 300 FT BELOW ASSIGNED ALT IN DSCNT FROM 11000 FT TO 10000 FT. WENT TO 9700 FT THEN QUICKLY CORRECTED BACK TO 10000 FT. WE WERE IN VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE AIRFIELD AND FO AND SO WERE DISTR MOMENTARILY LOOKING FOR THE RACE TRACK. THIS WAS THE SECOND LEG OF THE TRIP THAT HAD A SHOW TIME OF XA10. WE WERE FATIGUED DUE TO THE INABILITY TO GET PROPER SLEEP PRIOR TO THE TRIP. ALSO, WHENEVER YOU HAVE TO FLY THROUGH SUNRISE IT IS MORE FATIGUING. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FLY MORNING OUT AND BACK TRIPS. CONFUSION OCCURRED OVER ALT DUE TO FATIGUE AND VISUAL CONTACT WITH AIRFIELD. WE SEEMED TO BE VERY HIGH AND DUE TO THE FATIGUE, I CONFUSED MY MENTAL PREPARATION FOR A VISUAL APCH WITH WHAT WE WERE CLRED FOR. IN AN EFFORT TO STAY MENTALLY ALERT, THE FO AND SO WERE LOOKING AROUND OUTSIDE THE ACFT AND MISSED MY NOT LEVELING AT 10000 FT TILL JUST AS WE PASSED THROUGH THE ALT. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: 1) BE MORE ATTENTIVE DURING ALT CAPTURE. 2) TRY TO KEEP CREW MORE FOCUSED INSIDE THE ACFT ON DSCNT. 3) TRY TO MAKE CREW SCHEDULING AWARE OF THE EFFECT OF THIS TYPE OF SCHEDULING ON CREW PERFORMANCE.

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.