A descending DC9-30 flight crew overshoots their assigned altitude of 11000 ft when distracted with flight attendant in cockpit 35 mi northwest of clt, nc.

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Attributes
ACN	477710
Time
Date	200006
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : clt.vortac
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc tracon : clt.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1250
ASRS Report	477710
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	477202
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Cabin Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ZTL gave us a clearance to descend to 11000 ft 40 mi north of clt at 250 KTS. Captain was PF, he began to descend and called for descent check. At this time flight attendant came into cockpit (approximately FL240 at this time, she had a question for us). Through 18000 ft we set local altimeters. As PNF I began the checklist a little later than usual due to the fact that I was answering flight attendant's question. Flight attendant left cockpit, we switched to approach and completed the checklist. Approximately 30 seconds after leveling at 250 KTS captain noticed he leveled at 10000 ft instead of 11000 ft (11000 ft was in altitude window). He immediately climbed to 11000 ft at which time approach told us to descend to 7000 ft. No word was mentioned about the deviation by ATC. I believe we lost altitude awareness because we were preoccupied by answering flight attendant's question and completing the descent checklist at a lower than normal altitude. Supplemental information from acn 477202: combination of WX avoidance and extra conversation in cockpit distracted us so that we didn't hear altitude warning horn. Did PNF make normal calls? Center switched us to approach control about the same time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DSNDING DC9-30 FLC OVERSHOOTS THEIR ASSIGNED ALT OF 11000 FT WHEN DISTRACTED WITH FLT ATTENDANT IN COCKPIT 35 MI NW OF CLT, NC.

Narrative: ZTL GAVE US A CLRNC TO DSND TO 11000 FT 40 MI N OF CLT AT 250 KTS. CAPT WAS PF, HE BEGAN TO DSND AND CALLED FOR DSCNT CHK. AT THIS TIME FLT ATTENDANT CAME INTO COCKPIT (APPROX FL240 AT THIS TIME, SHE HAD A QUESTION FOR US). THROUGH 18000 FT WE SET LCL ALTIMETERS. AS PNF I BEGAN THE CHKLIST A LITTLE LATER THAN USUAL DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS ANSWERING FLT ATTENDANT'S QUESTION. FLT ATTENDANT LEFT COCKPIT, WE SWITCHED TO APCH AND COMPLETED THE CHKLIST. APPROX 30 SECONDS AFTER LEVELING AT 250 KTS CAPT NOTICED HE LEVELED AT 10000 FT INSTEAD OF 11000 FT (11000 FT WAS IN ALT WINDOW). HE IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO 11000 FT AT WHICH TIME APCH TOLD US TO DSND TO 7000 FT. NO WORD WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THE DEV BY ATC. I BELIEVE WE LOST ALT AWARENESS BECAUSE WE WERE PREOCCUPIED BY ANSWERING FLT ATTENDANT'S QUESTION AND COMPLETING THE DSCNT CHKLIST AT A LOWER THAN NORMAL ALT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 477202: COMBINATION OF WX AVOIDANCE AND EXTRA CONVERSATION IN COCKPIT DISTRACTED US SO THAT WE DIDN'T HEAR ALT WARNING HORN. DID PNF MAKE NORMAL CALLS? CTR SWITCHED US TO APCH CTL ABOUT THE SAME TIME.

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.