A descending B727-200 overshoots its assigned altitude when the PF, the PIC, is distracted by the so...

Attributes
ACN	473760
Time
Date	200005
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6700 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	473760
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	473618
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Crew was distracted by brand new, bright eyed, bushy tailed flight engineer expressing his amazement at ground features near the airport. I was flying and had a descent to 7000 ft set up, and while stupidly looking at something he was so earnestly describing on the ground, I blew through 7000 ft and caught it at 6700 ft. Controller mentioned it and we immediately climbed back to 7000 ft. There was no conflict with any other traffic. We had a serious discussion following the flight about sterile cockpit and where our attention ought to be in the terminal area. Supplemental information from acn 473618: we were on a high right downwind for the runway in visual conditions when our so asked a question about a landmark near the airport. All 3 of us then looked outside at the point and a small discussion ensued. During this time, the captain who was hand-flying continued the descent below the assigned altitude of 7000 ft. I told him and he readjusted to maintain 7000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DSNDING B727-200 OVERSHOOTS ITS ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THE PF, THE PIC, IS DISTRACTED BY THE SO 3 MI N OF ORD, IL.

Narrative: CREW WAS DISTRACTED BY BRAND NEW, BRIGHT EYED, BUSHY TAILED FE EXPRESSING HIS AMAZEMENT AT GND FEATURES NEAR THE ARPT. I WAS FLYING AND HAD A DSCNT TO 7000 FT SET UP, AND WHILE STUPIDLY LOOKING AT SOMETHING HE WAS SO EARNESTLY DESCRIBING ON THE GND, I BLEW THROUGH 7000 FT AND CAUGHT IT AT 6700 FT. CTLR MENTIONED IT AND WE IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO 7000 FT. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER TFC. WE HAD A SERIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWING THE FLT ABOUT STERILE COCKPIT AND WHERE OUR ATTN OUGHT TO BE IN THE TERMINAL AREA. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 473618: WE WERE ON A HIGH R DOWNWIND FOR THE RWY IN VISUAL CONDITIONS WHEN OUR SO ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT A LANDMARK NEAR THE ARPT. ALL 3 OF US THEN LOOKED OUTSIDE AT THE POINT AND A SMALL DISCUSSION ENSUED. DURING THIS TIME, THE CAPT WHO WAS HAND-FLYING CONTINUED THE DSCNT BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALT OF 7000 FT. I TOLD HIM AND HE READJUSTED TO MAINTAIN 7000 FT.

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.

A descending B727-200 overshoots its assigned altitude when the PF, the PIC, is distracted by the so 3 mi north of ord, il.