DC9 crew distraction by arrival airport NOTAMS overshot assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	498020
Time
Date	200101
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : roc.vortac
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14900 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
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 : 200 flight time total : 7400 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	498020
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera 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 Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During initial descent into roc, ZOB cleared flight from FL220 to 16000 ft. Correct altitude was set in the altitude alerter following altitude awareness SOP's. Descent was commenced. The captain as PF began the approach briefing in preparation for an ILS approach to runway 22. While discussing a NOTAM concerning the middle marker being OTS, both pilots realized that they had exceeded the altitude clearance. A corrective climb was initiated at 14900 ft MSL. Immediately after beginning the climb, ATC inquired as to the clearance altitude assignment. The first officer responded as to the altitude deviation, including the altitude passing in the return to 16000 ft. ATC responded with 'no problem' and issued a discretionary clearance to 11000 ft. The descent, approach, and landing proceeded without incident. Relative factors: 1) altitude alerter was MEL'ed. Aural tone was inoperative and alert lights were intermittent. Lights did not illuminate during the event. 2) both pilots had discussed the MEL extensively prior to the flight, including the necessity for extra vigilance in altitude clrncs. Even so, the deviation occurred. 3) inoperative ILS equipment (MM) lengthened the approach briefing discussion. 4) the event aircraft did not have autoplt altitude preselect, making the loss of the altitude alerter very serious. Consideration should be given to removing the altitude alerter from the MEL due to altitude deviation implications.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CREW DISTR BY ARR ARPT NOTAMS OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: DURING INITIAL DSCNT INTO ROC, ZOB CLRED FLT FROM FL220 TO 16000 FT. CORRECT ALT WAS SET IN THE ALT ALERTER FOLLOWING ALT AWARENESS SOP'S. DSCNT WAS COMMENCED. THE CAPT AS PF BEGAN THE APCH BRIEFING IN PREPARATION FOR AN ILS APCH TO RWY 22. WHILE DISCUSSING A NOTAM CONCERNING THE MIDDLE MARKER BEING OTS, BOTH PLTS REALIZED THAT THEY HAD EXCEEDED THE ALT CLRNC. A CORRECTIVE CLB WAS INITIATED AT 14900 FT MSL. IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEGINNING THE CLB, ATC INQUIRED AS TO THE CLRNC ALT ASSIGNMENT. THE FO RESPONDED AS TO THE ALTDEV, INCLUDING THE ALT PASSING IN THE RETURN TO 16000 FT. ATC RESPONDED WITH 'NO PROB' AND ISSUED A DISCRETIONARY CLRNC TO 11000 FT. THE DSCNT, APCH, AND LNDG PROCEEDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. RELATIVE FACTORS: 1) ALT ALERTER WAS MEL'ED. AURAL TONE WAS INOP AND ALERT LIGHTS WERE INTERMITTENT. LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE DURING THE EVENT. 2) BOTH PLTS HAD DISCUSSED THE MEL EXTENSIVELY PRIOR TO THE FLT, INCLUDING THE NECESSITY FOR EXTRA VIGILANCE IN ALT CLRNCS. EVEN SO, THE DEV OCCURRED. 3) INOP ILS EQUIP (MM) LENGTHENED THE APCH BRIEFING DISCUSSION. 4) THE EVENT ACFT DID NOT HAVE AUTOPLT ALT PRESELECT, MAKING THE LOSS OF THE ALT ALERTER VERY SERIOUS. CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO REMOVING THE ALT ALERTER FROM THE MEL DUE TO ALTDEV IMPLICATIONS.

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.