Narrative:

It was the first leg of the third day of a 4 day trip. However it was the captain's last leg before a few scheduled days off. The captain expressed concern about making it back to our hub in time for her to make a connecting flight to commute home, and I let this pressure rush me. While on a vector to set us up for the base of a visual approach, we were instructed to descend to 2800 ft. I was the PF. A conversation ensued between the captain and the controller, who asked if we could accept a shorter, closer parallel runway due to traffic. After conferring with me, the captain accepted the shorter runway to save time. At this point we were informed we were #1 for the short runway, and to report the field in sight. The pressure was on, since there was another aircraft that was also following us. The airport lights, however, were difficult to see that night due to snow banks on the side of the runway. In the captain's and my overemphasis with finding the airport so we could report it, I inadvertently let the airplane descend to 2400 ft (we have no autoplt). I noticed when the altitude alerter indicated a deviation, and I immediately began correcting. Approach issued a low altitude warning a second or two later. This incident was especially disturbing since I've never come close to busting an altitude. In the future, I plan to avoid pressuring myself into rushing, and paying even more attention to my altitude in the terminal environment. Also, as a PNF, I plan to pay more attention to flight path and airspeed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B190 CREW DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT WHILE LOOKING FOR RWY.

Narrative: IT WAS THE FIRST LEG OF THE THIRD DAY OF A 4 DAY TRIP. HOWEVER IT WAS THE CAPT'S LAST LEG BEFORE A FEW SCHEDULED DAYS OFF. THE CAPT EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT MAKING IT BACK TO OUR HUB IN TIME FOR HER TO MAKE A CONNECTING FLT TO COMMUTE HOME, AND I LET THIS PRESSURE RUSH ME. WHILE ON A VECTOR TO SET US UP FOR THE BASE OF A VISUAL APCH, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO DSND TO 2800 FT. I WAS THE PF. A CONVERSATION ENSUED BTWN THE CAPT AND THE CTLR, WHO ASKED IF WE COULD ACCEPT A SHORTER, CLOSER PARALLEL RWY DUE TO TFC. AFTER CONFERRING WITH ME, THE CAPT ACCEPTED THE SHORTER RWY TO SAVE TIME. AT THIS POINT WE WERE INFORMED WE WERE #1 FOR THE SHORT RWY, AND TO RPT THE FIELD IN SIGHT. THE PRESSURE WAS ON, SINCE THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT THAT WAS ALSO FOLLOWING US. THE ARPT LIGHTS, HOWEVER, WERE DIFFICULT TO SEE THAT NIGHT DUE TO SNOW BANKS ON THE SIDE OF THE RWY. IN THE CAPT'S AND MY OVEREMPHASIS WITH FINDING THE ARPT SO WE COULD RPT IT, I INADVERTENTLY LET THE AIRPLANE DSND TO 2400 FT (WE HAVE NO AUTOPLT). I NOTICED WHEN THE ALT ALERTER INDICATED A DEV, AND I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN CORRECTING. APCH ISSUED A LOW ALT WARNING A SECOND OR TWO LATER. THIS INCIDENT WAS ESPECIALLY DISTURBING SINCE I'VE NEVER COME CLOSE TO BUSTING AN ALT. IN THE FUTURE, I PLAN TO AVOID PRESSURING MYSELF INTO RUSHING, AND PAYING EVEN MORE ATTN TO MY ALT IN THE TERMINAL ENVIRONMENT. ALSO, AS A PNF, I PLAN TO PAY MORE ATTN TO FLT PATH AND AIRSPD.

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.