Narrative:

We were cruising FL220 with the first officer flying. It started to get choppy so we requested lower. Center gave us a descent to 16000' with an altimeter setting of 29.34. We reported out of FL220 and center then gave us a frequency change. Switched to new frequency and could not raise them. Went back to old frequency. Center asked how the turbulence was as we were leaving FL190. Told them the turbulence quit at FL195. Center then gave us a new frequency. We just leveled at 16600' (with an altimeter set at 29.92) when I got a hold of the new controller. He said he had us at 15300' climbing to 16000'. I told him, 'negative, we are at 16000'.' at that time I noticed our altimeter setting of 29.92. A climb was started immediately and we then set our altimeters to 29.34 and leveled off at 16000'. 2 mins later we received a clearance to 6000'. I keep reading about this same thing happening to the other guy in 'callback.' certainly didn't want it to happen to me. How did it happen? I just got checked out in the new machine with the fancy glass cockpit with a little over 20 hours in type. I was flying with a copilot that has flown the machine for a year. I was distracted by the radio and I assumed the first officer would have it under control. I did not monitor the progress. The first officer apologized, but I told him there are 2 people up there and I should have caught the error myself. We really have to force ourselves to monitor, monitor and monitor, especially in these highly sophisticated and automatic machines.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR MLG OVERSHOT ALT DESCENT.

Narrative: WE WERE CRUISING FL220 WITH THE F/O FLYING. IT STARTED TO GET CHOPPY SO WE REQUESTED LOWER. CENTER GAVE US A DSCNT TO 16000' WITH AN ALTIMETER SETTING OF 29.34. WE RPTED OUT OF FL220 AND CENTER THEN GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE. SWITCHED TO NEW FREQ AND COULD NOT RAISE THEM. WENT BACK TO OLD FREQ. CENTER ASKED HOW THE TURB WAS AS WE WERE LEAVING FL190. TOLD THEM THE TURB QUIT AT FL195. CENTER THEN GAVE US A NEW FREQ. WE JUST LEVELED AT 16600' (WITH AN ALTIMETER SET AT 29.92) WHEN I GOT A HOLD OF THE NEW CTLR. HE SAID HE HAD US AT 15300' CLBING TO 16000'. I TOLD HIM, 'NEGATIVE, WE ARE AT 16000'.' AT THAT TIME I NOTICED OUR ALTIMETER SETTING OF 29.92. A CLB WAS STARTED IMMEDIATELY AND WE THEN SET OUR ALTIMETERS TO 29.34 AND LEVELED OFF AT 16000'. 2 MINS LATER WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO 6000'. I KEEP READING ABOUT THIS SAME THING HAPPENING TO THE OTHER GUY IN 'CALLBACK.' CERTAINLY DIDN'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN TO ME. HOW DID IT HAPPEN? I JUST GOT CHKED OUT IN THE NEW MACHINE WITH THE FANCY GLASS COCKPIT WITH A LITTLE OVER 20 HRS IN TYPE. I WAS FLYING WITH A COPLT THAT HAS FLOWN THE MACHINE FOR A YEAR. I WAS DISTRACTED BY THE RADIO AND I ASSUMED THE F/O WOULD HAVE IT UNDER CONTROL. I DID NOT MONITOR THE PROGRESS. THE F/O APOLOGIZED, BUT I TOLD HIM THERE ARE 2 PEOPLE UP THERE AND I SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THE ERROR MYSELF. WE REALLY HAVE TO FORCE OURSELVES TO MONITOR, MONITOR AND MONITOR, ESPECIALLY IN THESE HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED AND AUTOMATIC MACHINES.

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.