Aircraft allowed to descent 400' while dealing with engine failure.

Attributes
ACN	89792
Time
Date	198806
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7600 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	89792
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After engine failure I was running engine failure checklist, being vectored back to mia and to maintain 8000'. Captain said he'd fly and monitor ATC. Heard ATC state we were to maintain 8000' (altimeter read 7600'), captain say or not, next time I monitor him closer (would have been nice if ATC offered a block altitude, next time I'll insist).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT ALLOWED TO DESCENT 400' WHILE DEALING WITH ENGINE FAILURE.

Narrative: AFTER ENG FAILURE I WAS RUNNING ENG FAILURE CHKLIST, BEING VECTORED BACK TO MIA AND TO MAINTAIN 8000'. CAPT SAID HE'D FLY AND MONITOR ATC. HEARD ATC STATE WE WERE TO MAINTAIN 8000' (ALTIMETER READ 7600'), CAPT SAY OR NOT, NEXT TIME I MONITOR HIM CLOSER (WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF ATC OFFERED A BLOCK ALT, NEXT TIME I'LL INSIST).

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.