B737 crew had altitude overshoot in ZLA class east.

Attributes
ACN	475553
Time
Date	200006
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : pdz.vor
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : paradise 3
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	475553
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Company Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ZLA had cleared us to descend via the paradise three arrival. As first officer not flying, I was performing a QRH procedure for a reverser unlocked light. I noticed that we were about 10500 ft prior to pdz where we should have maintained 12000 ft until pdz VOR. We started a climb back to 12000 ft. There appeared to be no conflict. I believe the procedure for setting the altitude alerter to the lowest altitude on the arrival when cleared for the descent was a contributing factor. An alternative method of resetting the alerter at each step down might have prevented this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW HAD ALT OVERSHOOT IN ZLA CLASS E.

Narrative: ZLA HAD CLRED US TO DSND VIA THE PARADISE THREE ARR. AS FO NOT FLYING, I WAS PERFORMING A QRH PROC FOR A REVERSER UNLOCKED LIGHT. I NOTICED THAT WE WERE ABOUT 10500 FT PRIOR TO PDZ WHERE WE SHOULD HAVE MAINTAINED 12000 FT UNTIL PDZ VOR. WE STARTED A CLB BACK TO 12000 FT. THERE APPEARED TO BE NO CONFLICT. I BELIEVE THE PROC FOR SETTING THE ALT ALERTER TO THE LOWEST ALT ON THE ARR WHEN CLRED FOR THE DSCNT WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF RESETTING THE ALERTER AT EACH STEP DOWN MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED THIS.

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.