Altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	98122
Time
Date	198811
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : agc
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : pit
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	98122
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were inbound to pit from hagerstown, md. The captain was flying and I was running the radios. Our cruising altitude had been 8000' when about 30 DME from agc VOR cle center descended us to 7000'. The captain asked me to request 6000'. We were passing through 7500' when cle center switched us to pit approach and to give them the request. Approach said they would give us 6000' in about 5 more mi and I acknowledged. Our altitude was about 7000'. The captain continued the descent and I absentmindedly called '1000 to go' when the alerter went off at 6700'. At 6300' approach asked what our previous assigned altitude was and I automatically answered '6000'.' I had 6000' on my mind because of the captain's request. The captain then answered that he made a mistake and advised he would climb back to 7000'. After some silence approach said negative and cleared us to 6000'. Some factors: captain is 'mr. Request,' constantly asking for something other than assigned, crossing distrs! Captain constantly listening to ADF! First officer too is worried about not irritating captain that he became inattentive to the job at hand!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION.

Narrative: WE WERE INBND TO PIT FROM HAGERSTOWN, MD. THE CAPT WAS FLYING AND I WAS RUNNING THE RADIOS. OUR CRUISING ALT HAD BEEN 8000' WHEN ABOUT 30 DME FROM AGC VOR CLE CENTER DSNDED US TO 7000'. THE CAPT ASKED ME TO REQUEST 6000'. WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 7500' WHEN CLE CENTER SWITCHED US TO PIT APCH AND TO GIVE THEM THE REQUEST. APCH SAID THEY WOULD GIVE US 6000' IN ABOUT 5 MORE MI AND I ACKNOWLEDGED. OUR ALT WAS ABOUT 7000'. THE CAPT CONTINUED THE DSCNT AND I ABSENTMINDEDLY CALLED '1000 TO GO' WHEN THE ALERTER WENT OFF AT 6700'. AT 6300' APCH ASKED WHAT OUR PREVIOUS ASSIGNED ALT WAS AND I AUTOMATICALLY ANSWERED '6000'.' I HAD 6000' ON MY MIND BECAUSE OF THE CAPT'S REQUEST. THE CAPT THEN ANSWERED THAT HE MADE A MISTAKE AND ADVISED HE WOULD CLB BACK TO 7000'. AFTER SOME SILENCE APCH SAID NEGATIVE AND CLRED US TO 6000'. SOME FACTORS: CAPT IS 'MR. REQUEST,' CONSTANTLY ASKING FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN ASSIGNED, XING DISTRS! CAPT CONSTANTLY LISTENING TO ADF! F/O TOO IS WORRIED ABOUT NOT IRRITATING CAPT THAT HE BECAME INATTENTIVE TO THE JOB AT HAND!

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.