A B727 flight crew inadvertently overshoot their assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	526420
Time
Date	200110
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : atl.vortac
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	526420
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on descent into atl. We were being vectored by atl approach control. The autoplt was disconnected due to numerous altitude, heading, and airspeed changes. The approach checklist was being run as we were cleared from 10000 ft to 9000 ft with a heading change and slow down. 9000 ft was set in the altitude window. Passing through 8500 ft as the first officer was flying, I said 'I missed your 1000 ft call, passing 8500 ft for 8000 ft.' the first officer acknowledged. We both thought 8000 ft was our clearance. Reaching 8000 ft, we realized that 9000 ft was set in the altitude window. I queried approach controller about our cleared altitude. He replied, 'the clearance was 9000 ft, but you are fine where you are.' I acknowledged 'roger 8000 ft.' the remainder of the descent and approach was uneventful. There were no other aircraft involved. I believe this happened due to the high workload at that time with the autoplt off. Due to the nature of the B727 autoplt, multiple phase of flight changes are difficult. I don't know why there was confusion about which altitude we were cleared to. We had a new so receiving IOE training and that may have added to the confusion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 FLT CREW INADVERTENTLY OVERSHOOT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON DSCNT INTO ATL. WE WERE BEING VECTORED BY ATL APCH CTL. THE AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED DUE TO NUMEROUS ALT, HEADING, AND AIRSPD CHANGES. THE APCH CHKLIST WAS BEING RUN AS WE WERE CLRED FROM 10000 FT TO 9000 FT WITH A HEADING CHANGE AND SLOW DOWN. 9000 FT WAS SET IN THE ALT WINDOW. PASSING THROUGH 8500 FT AS THE FO WAS FLYING, I SAID 'I MISSED YOUR 1000 FT CALL, PASSING 8500 FT FOR 8000 FT.' THE FO ACKNOWLEDGED. WE BOTH THOUGHT 8000 FT WAS OUR CLRNC. REACHING 8000 FT, WE REALIZED THAT 9000 FT WAS SET IN THE ALT WINDOW. I QUERIED APCH CTLR ABOUT OUR CLRED ALT. HE REPLIED, 'THE CLRNC WAS 9000 FT, BUT YOU ARE FINE WHERE YOU ARE.' I ACKNOWLEDGED 'ROGER 8000 FT.' THE REMAINDER OF THE DSCNT AND APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL. THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT INVOLVED. I BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED DUE TO THE HIGH WORKLOAD AT THAT TIME WITH THE AUTOPLT OFF. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE B727 AUTOPLT, MULTIPLE PHASE OF FLT CHANGES ARE DIFFICULT. I DON'T KNOW WHY THERE WAS CONFUSION ABOUT WHICH ALT WE WERE CLRED TO. WE HAD A NEW SO RECEIVING IOE TRAINING AND THAT MAY HAVE ADDED TO THE CONFUSION.

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.