Air carrier large transport gross atl deviation undershot during descent.

Attributes
ACN	80233
Time
Date	198801
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ftz
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc tower : shv
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	80233
Person 2
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Clrd to cross ftz-VOR at 10000', from FL240. Trying to determine cause of airframe buffet during descent. (Had noted buffet in cruise around .82-.83 mach at FL370.) leveled off at FL200, believing at 10000' approximately 20 DME west of ftz. ATC asked altitude, all 3 of us read '10000', controller advised indicating FL200, recleared via vector to maintain 10000. Contributing elements: 1) night 2) near end of 7 plus hour flight, 11 plus hour duty day 3) problem distraction (analysis needed to involve pilot flying) 4) communications inside and outside.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT GROSS ATL DEVIATION UNDERSHOT DURING DESCENT.

Narrative: CLRD TO CROSS FTZ-VOR AT 10000', FROM FL240. TRYING TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF AIRFRAME BUFFET DURING DESCENT. (HAD NOTED BUFFET IN CRUISE AROUND .82-.83 MACH AT FL370.) LEVELED OFF AT FL200, BELIEVING AT 10000' APPROX 20 DME WEST OF FTZ. ATC ASKED ALT, ALL 3 OF US READ '10000', CTLR ADVISED INDICATING FL200, RECLEARED VIA VECTOR TO MAINTAIN 10000. CONTRIBUTING ELEMENTS: 1) NIGHT 2) NEAR END OF 7 PLUS HOUR FLT, 11 PLUS HOUR DUTY DAY 3) PROBLEM DISTR (ANALYSIS NEEDED TO INVOLVE PLT FLYING) 4) COMMUNICATIONS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.