A DC8F flight crew descended below the assigned altitude near ewr.

Attributes
ACN	450240
Time
Date	199909
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7600 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon tower : dca.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8F
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors arrival star : ns
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	450240
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude
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:

Descending turn on ATC vector and descent through assigned altitude of 8000 ft. Aircraft, which was on autoplt, did not capture altitude at 8000 ft and first officer flying the aircraft made immediate correction back to altitude starting at 7600 ft MSL. Altitude alerter, which was set at 8000 ft, was not heard by any crew member, and in fact did not go off. Air crew was busy looking for 2 bogie traffic calls by ATC and a change of runway assignment. ATC did not notice the deviation and no traffic conflict occurred.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC8F FLC DSNDED BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALT NEAR EWR.

Narrative: DSNDING TURN ON ATC VECTOR AND DSCNT THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT OF 8000 FT. ACFT, WHICH WAS ON AUTOPLT, DID NOT CAPTURE ALT AT 8000 FT AND FO FLYING THE ACFT MADE IMMEDIATE CORRECTION BACK TO ALT STARTING AT 7600 FT MSL. ALT ALERTER, WHICH WAS SET AT 8000 FT, WAS NOT HEARD BY ANY CREW MEMBER, AND IN FACT DID NOT GO OFF. AIR CREW WAS BUSY LOOKING FOR 2 BOGIE TFC CALLS BY ATC AND A CHANGE OF RWY ASSIGNMENT. ATC DID NOT NOTICE THE DEV AND NO TFC CONFLICT OCCURRED.

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.