Narrative:

On descent, my copilot and I were cleared to 8000 ft. We were at 10000 ft on the rockit 3 arrival. The rockit 3 has many fixes and our GPS can only hold two at a time and must be continually programmed. We were navigating direct as per a previous ATC clearance. When we were cleared to 8000 ft my first officer acknowledged the clearance and I initiated the descent on autoplt. At some point in the descent my copilot, who has less than 100 hours in the aircraft and no previous jet or turbine experience, became confused on the programming and I then attempted to assist him. This is when I noticed the autoplt was off and I descended 800 ft below my assigned altitude of 8000 ft. I immediately returned to 8000 ft. I believe several factors contributed to this event: fatigue, we were at the end of an 11 1/2 hour day, 2) lack of communication on the crew's part, and 3) lack of a company CRM program, causing the crew to not stick to the principles of CRM, finally, I, as the captain, feel that I take ultimate responsibility of ensuring that my copilot with his limited jet experience should feel comfortable with the aircraft's equipment, and that I should have been more vigilant in flying the airplane first. I have had many communications problems with my first officer's because the company I work for does not have a CRM program for its 150 plus pilots. Each captain does things differently and I am constantly asked by my first officer's as to what I expect. This should not be. The company should standardize its operating procedures. I will endeavor to be more vigilant of my flying and not assuming of my first officer's abilities. I believe the lack of crew coordination to be a serious problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INEXPERIENCED COPLT DISTR AND AUTOPLT OFF WHEN THOUGHT TO BE ON CAUSES DEV BELOW ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ON DSCNT, MY COPLT AND I WERE CLRED TO 8000 FT. WE WERE AT 10000 FT ON THE ROCKIT 3 ARR. THE ROCKIT 3 HAS MANY FIXES AND OUR GPS CAN ONLY HOLD TWO AT A TIME AND MUST BE CONTINUALLY PROGRAMMED. WE WERE NAVING DIRECT AS PER A PREVIOUS ATC CLRNC. WHEN WE WERE CLRED TO 8000 FT MY FO ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC AND I INITIATED THE DSCNT ON AUTOPLT. AT SOME POINT IN THE DSCNT MY COPLT, WHO HAS LESS THAN 100 HRS IN THE ACFT AND NO PREVIOUS JET OR TURBINE EXPERIENCE, BECAME CONFUSED ON THE PROGRAMMING AND I THEN ATTEMPTED TO ASSIST HIM. THIS IS WHEN I NOTICED THE AUTOPLT WAS OFF AND I DSNDED 800 FT BELOW MY ASSIGNED ALT OF 8000 FT. I IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO 8000 FT. I BELIEVE SEVERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EVENT: FATIGUE, WE WERE AT THE END OF AN 11 1/2 HR DAY, 2) LACK OF COM ON THE CREW'S PART, AND 3) LACK OF A COMPANY CRM PROGRAM, CAUSING THE CREW TO NOT STICK TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CRM, FINALLY, I, AS THE CAPT, FEEL THAT I TAKE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY OF ENSURING THAT MY COPLT WITH HIS LIMITED JET EXPERIENCE SHOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE ACFT'S EQUIP, AND THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE VIGILANT IN FLYING THE AIRPLANE FIRST. I HAVE HAD MANY COMS PROBS WITH MY FO'S BECAUSE THE COMPANY I WORK FOR DOES NOT HAVE A CRM PROGRAM FOR ITS 150 PLUS PLTS. EACH CAPT DOES THINGS DIFFERENTLY AND I AM CONSTANTLY ASKED BY MY FO'S AS TO WHAT I EXPECT. THIS SHOULD NOT BE. THE COMPANY SHOULD STANDARDIZE ITS OPERATING PROCS. I WILL ENDEAVOR TO BE MORE VIGILANT OF MY FLYING AND NOT ASSUMING OF MY FO'S ABILITIES. I BELIEVE THE LACK OF CREW COORD TO BE A SERIOUS 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.