DC10-30 crew had altitude overshoot flying the localizer DME runway 27 approach at san.

Attributes
ACN	533955
Time
Date	200112
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mzb.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3600 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer only : 27 other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	533955
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist controller : issued alert none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We had been given vectors for the localizer DME runway 27. Approach told us to descend from 5000 ft to 4000 ft and gave us a 240 degree heading to intercept the localizer DME runway 27. I was the PNF so I set and armed 4000 ft in our FMS and selected 240 degrees on our heading. The autoplt was on at the time and the localizer was armed for capture. The captain began the descent and we intercepted the localizer. I then looked down on the center pedestal to doublechk, we had the right course and frequency in the ILS panel. While I was looking down, approach said to stop our descent. I then looked up and saw the captain had already stopped our descent at 3600 ft. I replied 'roger.' then approach informed us they showed us outside of vydda and asked if we had the airport in sight. We replied 'yes.' they then cleared us for the visual approach. We were in the clear and saw no terrain issues and we landed uneventfully. Possible contributing factors: the whole flight crew was new in their seats. The captain had less than 100 hours in his seat. First officer had just 100 hours in seat. Flight engineer approximately 300+ hours in his seat. Also, it was the first time the captain and myself had been to san diego. The autoplt failed to capture the selected altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10-30 CREW HAD ALT OVERSHOOT FLYING THE LOC DME RWY 27 APCH AT SAN.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN GIVEN VECTORS FOR THE LOC DME RWY 27. APCH TOLD US TO DSND FROM 5000 FT TO 4000 FT AND GAVE US A 240 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT THE LOC DME RWY 27. I WAS THE PNF SO I SET AND ARMED 4000 FT IN OUR FMS AND SELECTED 240 DEGS ON OUR HDG. THE AUTOPLT WAS ON AT THE TIME AND THE LOC WAS ARMED FOR CAPTURE. THE CAPT BEGAN THE DSCNT AND WE INTERCEPTED THE LOC. I THEN LOOKED DOWN ON THE CTR PEDESTAL TO DOUBLECHK, WE HAD THE RIGHT COURSE AND FREQ IN THE ILS PANEL. WHILE I WAS LOOKING DOWN, APCH SAID TO STOP OUR DSCNT. I THEN LOOKED UP AND SAW THE CAPT HAD ALREADY STOPPED OUR DSCNT AT 3600 FT. I REPLIED 'ROGER.' THEN APCH INFORMED US THEY SHOWED US OUTSIDE OF VYDDA AND ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. WE REPLIED 'YES.' THEY THEN CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL APCH. WE WERE IN THE CLR AND SAW NO TERRAIN ISSUES AND WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: THE WHOLE FLC WAS NEW IN THEIR SEATS. THE CAPT HAD LESS THAN 100 HRS IN HIS SEAT. FO HAD JUST 100 HRS IN SEAT. FE APPROX 300+ HRS IN HIS SEAT. ALSO, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THE CAPT AND MYSELF HAD BEEN TO SAN DIEGO. THE AUTOPLT FAILED TO CAPTURE THE SELECTED ALT.

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.