Narrative:

Descending on the lendy arrival we were cleared to FL190. 16000 ft was inadvertently set in the flight management altitude window. The error was noted at about FL188. We called ATC to confirm assigned altitude. ATC responded 'climb to FL190.' we immediately complied. Our lowest altitude was FL183-FL185. During this time, I was calling company ramp for gate assignment and neither of us remember setting the erroneous altitude in the window. Because one pilot was busy on the second radio, the company altitude confirmation procedure was not performed. Our flight number may have been a factor in setting the erroneous altitude. The situation could be prevented by eliminating the 'in range' call to the company. Flight following technology and ACARS make these calls redundant and 2-MAN cockpits are often task-saturated during this phase of flight. Supplemental information from acn 455623: upon reaching FL190, it was shortly noticed altitude to be FL188 and descending. I commanded first officer to confirm descent to 16000 ft which was in the altitude window. Controller said 'negative, climb back to FL190.' to our surprise, 16000 ft was set in altitude window and we don't recall who set it. Prevention could help by: that in arrival area both pilots are with ATC, not one pilot flying and talking to ATC while the other pilot is on another radio. It was discovered by 'instinct' that I knew lendy was at FL190 from yrs of experience.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 FLC RPT ON DSNDING BELOW THE ASSIGNED XING ALT FOR LENDY INTXN ON THE LENDY 4 STAR FOR JFK, NY.

Narrative: DSNDING ON THE LENDY ARR WE WERE CLRED TO FL190. 16000 FT WAS INADVERTENTLY SET IN THE FLT MGMNT ALT WINDOW. THE ERROR WAS NOTED AT ABOUT FL188. WE CALLED ATC TO CONFIRM ASSIGNED ALT. ATC RESPONDED 'CLB TO FL190.' WE IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED. OUR LOWEST ALT WAS FL183-FL185. DURING THIS TIME, I WAS CALLING COMPANY RAMP FOR GATE ASSIGNMENT AND NEITHER OF US REMEMBER SETTING THE ERRONEOUS ALT IN THE WINDOW. BECAUSE ONE PLT WAS BUSY ON THE SECOND RADIO, THE COMPANY ALT CONFIRMATION PROC WAS NOT PERFORMED. OUR FLT NUMBER MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR IN SETTING THE ERRONEOUS ALT. THE SIT COULD BE PREVENTED BY ELIMINATING THE 'IN RANGE' CALL TO THE COMPANY. FLT FOLLOWING TECHNOLOGY AND ACARS MAKE THESE CALLS REDUNDANT AND 2-MAN COCKPITS ARE OFTEN TASK-SATURATED DURING THIS PHASE OF FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 455623: UPON REACHING FL190, IT WAS SHORTLY NOTICED ALT TO BE FL188 AND DSNDING. I COMMANDED FO TO CONFIRM DSCNT TO 16000 FT WHICH WAS IN THE ALT WINDOW. CTLR SAID 'NEGATIVE, CLB BACK TO FL190.' TO OUR SURPRISE, 16000 FT WAS SET IN ALT WINDOW AND WE DON'T RECALL WHO SET IT. PREVENTION COULD HELP BY: THAT IN ARR AREA BOTH PLTS ARE WITH ATC, NOT ONE PLT FLYING AND TALKING TO ATC WHILE THE OTHER PLT IS ON ANOTHER RADIO. IT WAS DISCOVERED BY 'INSTINCT' THAT I KNEW LENDY WAS AT FL190 FROM YRS OF EXPERIENCE.

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.