Altitude overshoot on descent into tex, co. Distraction a factor.

Attributes
ACN	496200
Time
Date	200012
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tex.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24500 msl bound upper : 26000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Learjet 31
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	496200
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on descent into tex, co, we inadvertently descended through our last assigned altitude of FL260. The autoplt was flying the aircraft and we believe that altitude capture had taken place. We, the crew, were preoccupied with the review of the correct checklist to use with regard to pressurization procedures for landing at elevations higher than 8500 ft. The TCASII alerted us to another aircraft in the vicinity. We realized the autoplt had not captured and by the time we could arrest the descent, we were now at FL245. The center controller cleared us further to 17000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OVERSHOOT ON DSCNT INTO TEX, CO. DISTR A FACTOR.

Narrative: WHILE ON DSCNT INTO TEX, CO, WE INADVERTENTLY DSNDED THROUGH OUR LAST ASSIGNED ALT OF FL260. THE AUTOPLT WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND WE BELIEVE THAT ALT CAPTURE HAD TAKEN PLACE. WE, THE CREW, WERE PREOCCUPIED WITH THE REVIEW OF THE CORRECT CHKLIST TO USE WITH REGARD TO PRESSURIZATION PROCS FOR LNDG AT ELEVATIONS HIGHER THAN 8500 FT. THE TCASII ALERTED US TO ANOTHER ACFT IN THE VICINITY. WE REALIZED THE AUTOPLT HAD NOT CAPTURED AND BY THE TIME WE COULD ARREST THE DSCNT, WE WERE NOW AT FL245. THE CTR CTLR CLRED US FURTHER TO 17000 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.