An A310 on a descent profile did not level at the FMC and altitude alert set altitude.

Attributes
ACN	666401
Time
Date	200507
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zoa.artcc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23600 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc tower : abq.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A310
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Route In Use	arrival star : madwin
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	666401
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overrode automation flight crew : returned to assigned airspace flight crew : regained aircraft control none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Cleared to FL240 on the arrival. Autoplt failed to level off at the assigned altitude; crew realized too late and we ended up about 400 ft too low before correcting. ATC didn't mention the deviation. Crew was distracted from an ACARS message and was late recognizing the autoplt problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A310 ON A DSCNT PROFILE DID NOT LEVEL AT THE FMC AND ALT ALERT SET ALT.

Narrative: CLRED TO FL240 ON THE ARR. AUTOPLT FAILED TO LEVEL OFF AT THE ASSIGNED ALT; CREW REALIZED TOO LATE AND WE ENDED UP ABOUT 400 FT TOO LOW BEFORE CORRECTING. ATC DIDN'T MENTION THE DEV. CREW WAS DISTRACTED FROM AN ACARS MESSAGE AND WAS LATE RECOGNIZING THE AUTOPLT PROB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.