Medium large transport crew had altitude deviation on arrival to ewr.

Attributes
ACN	464020
Time
Date	200002
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : rbv.vortac
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	464020
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Normal arrival procedure is to cross rbv at 8000 ft. I (PNF) was involved with calling company maintenance to report a write-up. After passing rbv VOR I noticed we were level at 7000 ft. I asked first officer why we were at that altitude. He was unsure, thought we might have been cleared to 7000 ft (this is not normal ATC procedure). When I was picking up the microphone to query ATC, they then cleared us to descend to 6000 ft. ATC never mentioned any concern with the 7000 ft altitude. But operating in that environment I believe that 7000 ft is not an altitude normally cleared to. I need to make company related calls during a less intensive time (although hard to do in the northeast ATC environment).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG CREW HAD ALTDEV ON ARR TO EWR.

Narrative: NORMAL ARR PROC IS TO CROSS RBV AT 8000 FT. I (PNF) WAS INVOLVED WITH CALLING COMPANY MAINT TO RPT A WRITE-UP. AFTER PASSING RBV VOR I NOTICED WE WERE LEVEL AT 7000 FT. I ASKED FO WHY WE WERE AT THAT ALT. HE WAS UNSURE, THOUGHT WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN CLRED TO 7000 FT (THIS IS NOT NORMAL ATC PROC). WHEN I WAS PICKING UP THE MIKE TO QUERY ATC, THEY THEN CLRED US TO DSND TO 6000 FT. ATC NEVER MENTIONED ANY CONCERN WITH THE 7000 FT ALT. BUT OPERATING IN THAT ENVIRONMENT I BELIEVE THAT 7000 FT IS NOT AN ALT NORMALLY CLRED TO. I NEED TO MAKE COMPANY RELATED CALLS DURING A LESS INTENSIVE TIME (ALTHOUGH HARD TO DO IN THE NE ATC ENVIRONMENT).

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.