Narrative:

Enter holding north of folls intersection on the rythm 2 arrival to msy. Center advised that all arrs were shut down into msy because of thunderstorms over the field. Received an efc of 35 mins later (XA15Z). Our decision after talking with our dispatcher was to proceed to our alternate of btr for additional fuel. ATC gave us a clearance direct btr, descend from FL210 to and maintain 17000 ft. Thunderstorms between us and btr did not allow a direct routing, so we were given clearance to deviate left and right as necessary. Our cockpit workload was heavy. The first officer left frequency to advise both msy and btr of our plans, arrival times, obtain ATIS, runway and landing weight data, while I began the descent and WX radar deviations. My main concern was between our WX radar and my outside reference to the thunderstorm buildups. Deviations were made around 240-250 KTS for turbulence on the descent. My descent rate was higher than normal with full spoilers due to being only 50 DME off btr. On my descent, I deviated through my assigned altitude of 17000 ft down to approximately 16640 ft, at which time I immediately began a 1500-2000 ft rate of climb back to 17000 ft. Nothing was said by ATC of my altitude deviation. It was approximately 3-4 mins later that we were handed over to btr approach control. When I look back on our situation, I have recognized and studied the following factors in which to learn from this occurrence: 1) cockpit workload for both PF and PNF. 2) our cockpit crew coordination for working thunderstorms (radar -- visual) was not to our excellence that we always strive for. 3) altitude callouts by PNF of '2000 ft to go' and '1000 ft to go' for our assigned altitude, I felt were missed. 4) higher than normal rate of descent with full spoilers and turbulence was not a helpful matter for a smooth and accurate leveloff while at the same time turning left and right to avoid the WX. 5) while holding, we were aware that the msy WX would more than likely lead us to our filed alternate, so we were able to have those approach plates out and readily available (btr), the WX holding at btr and, the dispatcher staying with our original flight plan/release was very, very helpful matter with time not being on our side. 6) ATC, I couldn't have had better assistance or coordination. 'I thank you' was asked to be passed on to all that helped our flight. 7) I end up thinking of more each day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CREW OVERSHOOTS ALT WHEN DISTR BY WX AND COM ACTIVITIES.

Narrative: ENTER HOLDING N OF FOLLS INTXN ON THE RYTHM 2 ARR TO MSY. CTR ADVISED THAT ALL ARRS WERE SHUT DOWN INTO MSY BECAUSE OF TSTMS OVER THE FIELD. RECEIVED AN EFC OF 35 MINS LATER (XA15Z). OUR DECISION AFTER TALKING WITH OUR DISPATCHER WAS TO PROCEED TO OUR ALTERNATE OF BTR FOR ADDITIONAL FUEL. ATC GAVE US A CLRNC DIRECT BTR, DSND FROM FL210 TO AND MAINTAIN 17000 FT. TSTMS BTWN US AND BTR DID NOT ALLOW A DIRECT ROUTING, SO WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO DEVIATE L AND R AS NECESSARY. OUR COCKPIT WORKLOAD WAS HVY. THE FO LEFT FREQ TO ADVISE BOTH MSY AND BTR OF OUR PLANS, ARR TIMES, OBTAIN ATIS, RWY AND LNDG WT DATA, WHILE I BEGAN THE DSCNT AND WX RADAR DEVS. MY MAIN CONCERN WAS BTWN OUR WX RADAR AND MY OUTSIDE REF TO THE TSTM BUILDUPS. DEVS WERE MADE AROUND 240-250 KTS FOR TURB ON THE DSCNT. MY DSCNT RATE WAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL WITH FULL SPOILERS DUE TO BEING ONLY 50 DME OFF BTR. ON MY DSCNT, I DEVIATED THROUGH MY ASSIGNED ALT OF 17000 FT DOWN TO APPROX 16640 FT, AT WHICH TIME I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A 1500-2000 FT RATE OF CLB BACK TO 17000 FT. NOTHING WAS SAID BY ATC OF MY ALTDEV. IT WAS APPROX 3-4 MINS LATER THAT WE WERE HANDED OVER TO BTR APCH CTL. WHEN I LOOK BACK ON OUR SIT, I HAVE RECOGNIZED AND STUDIED THE FOLLOWING FACTORS IN WHICH TO LEARN FROM THIS OCCURRENCE: 1) COCKPIT WORKLOAD FOR BOTH PF AND PNF. 2) OUR COCKPIT CREW COORD FOR WORKING TSTMS (RADAR -- VISUAL) WAS NOT TO OUR EXCELLENCE THAT WE ALWAYS STRIVE FOR. 3) ALT CALLOUTS BY PNF OF '2000 FT TO GO' AND '1000 FT TO GO' FOR OUR ASSIGNED ALT, I FELT WERE MISSED. 4) HIGHER THAN NORMAL RATE OF DSCNT WITH FULL SPOILERS AND TURB WAS NOT A HELPFUL MATTER FOR A SMOOTH AND ACCURATE LEVELOFF WHILE AT THE SAME TIME TURNING L AND R TO AVOID THE WX. 5) WHILE HOLDING, WE WERE AWARE THAT THE MSY WX WOULD MORE THAN LIKELY LEAD US TO OUR FILED ALTERNATE, SO WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE APCH PLATES OUT AND READILY AVAILABLE (BTR), THE WX HOLDING AT BTR AND, THE DISPATCHER STAYING WITH OUR ORIGINAL FLT PLAN/RELEASE WAS VERY, VERY HELPFUL MATTER WITH TIME NOT BEING ON OUR SIDE. 6) ATC, I COULDN'T HAVE HAD BETTER ASSISTANCE OR COORD. 'I THANK YOU' WAS ASKED TO BE PASSED ON TO ALL THAT HELPED OUR FLT. 7) I END UP THINKING OF MORE EACH DAY.

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.