Narrative:

We were given FL290, to expect higher shortly. Our flight plan was for FL330. I told the controller FL290 would be fine for our final altitude. Passing through FL270, the lead flight attendant rang us and brought up our dinner. It was our 6TH leg of the day and we hadn't eaten since noon. We had about 10 mins to eat before descent and approach. When the food arrived, I was distracted and leveled off at FL280. 5 mins went by and the controller told us to descend to FL270. That is when I discovered I was at the wrong altitude. We told the controller we were leaving FL280 for FL270 and there was no response. The controller did not mention any conflicts in that airspace. This was a classic example of end of a long multi-leg day. The copilot and I had been on duty for over 12 hours. We were hungry and rushed to eat our food on a short leg to minneapolis. Distractions are common place in aviation and we constantly adjust to them, but when you let your guard down (last leg and hungry), you set yourself up for problems. The first officer and I both agreed how easy it was to give in and not keep vigilant at all times in the various phases of flight. No matter what the distraction, someone has to fly the airplane. The PF must not give in to the secondary tasks of a successful flight. Supplemental information from acn 580829: I was distracted and partially removed from the 'loop.' the flight attendant left and I resumed PNF duties. I checked the flight plan for the fuel score and didn't notice PF leveled off at FL280 not FL290. We were cleared down to FL270 about 5 mins later and that is when we noticed we were at FL280. The flight attendant will wait until the immediate task 'leveling off' checklist etc, is complete.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CREW HAD LEVELED OFF 1000 FT BELOW THE CLRED ALT WHEN DISTRACTED BY CREW MEALS DURING SHORT FLT TO MSP IN ZMP AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN FL290, TO EXPECT HIGHER SHORTLY. OUR FLT PLAN WAS FOR FL330. I TOLD THE CTLR FL290 WOULD BE FINE FOR OUR FINAL ALT. PASSING THROUGH FL270, THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT RANG US AND BROUGHT UP OUR DINNER. IT WAS OUR 6TH LEG OF THE DAY AND WE HADN'T EATEN SINCE NOON. WE HAD ABOUT 10 MINS TO EAT BEFORE DSCNT AND APCH. WHEN THE FOOD ARRIVED, I WAS DISTRACTED AND LEVELED OFF AT FL280. 5 MINS WENT BY AND THE CTLR TOLD US TO DSND TO FL270. THAT IS WHEN I DISCOVERED I WAS AT THE WRONG ALT. WE TOLD THE CTLR WE WERE LEAVING FL280 FOR FL270 AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE CTLR DID NOT MENTION ANY CONFLICTS IN THAT AIRSPACE. THIS WAS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF END OF A LONG MULTI-LEG DAY. THE COPLT AND I HAD BEEN ON DUTY FOR OVER 12 HRS. WE WERE HUNGRY AND RUSHED TO EAT OUR FOOD ON A SHORT LEG TO MINNEAPOLIS. DISTRACTIONS ARE COMMON PLACE IN AVIATION AND WE CONSTANTLY ADJUST TO THEM, BUT WHEN YOU LET YOUR GUARD DOWN (LAST LEG AND HUNGRY), YOU SET YOURSELF UP FOR PROBS. THE FO AND I BOTH AGREED HOW EASY IT WAS TO GIVE IN AND NOT KEEP VIGILANT AT ALL TIMES IN THE VARIOUS PHASES OF FLT. NO MATTER WHAT THE DISTR, SOMEONE HAS TO FLY THE AIRPLANE. THE PF MUST NOT GIVE IN TO THE SECONDARY TASKS OF A SUCCESSFUL FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 580829: I WAS DISTRACTED AND PARTIALLY REMOVED FROM THE 'LOOP.' THE FLT ATTENDANT LEFT AND I RESUMED PNF DUTIES. I CHKED THE FLT PLAN FOR THE FUEL SCORE AND DIDN'T NOTICE PF LEVELED OFF AT FL280 NOT FL290. WE WERE CLRED DOWN TO FL270 ABOUT 5 MINS LATER AND THAT IS WHEN WE NOTICED WE WERE AT FL280. THE FLT ATTENDANT WILL WAIT UNTIL THE IMMEDIATE TASK 'LEVELING OFF' CHKLIST ETC, IS COMPLETE.

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.