Medium large transport overshoots assigned altitude on descent.

Attributes
ACN	115990
Time
Date	198906
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sxc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9600 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bos
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zla
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	115990
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Descent from 14,000 to assigned altitude of 10,000 we failed to arm the altitude capture mode on autoplt/flight director. We discovered our mistake as I passed 300-400 below our assigned altitude, with a simultaneous altitude alert warning. I immediately stopped the descent and climbed back to 10,000'. We could have avoided the occurrence if we would have been adhering to cockpit resource management. The captain did not make the mandatory 1000 feet to go callout. We were also distracted by our conversation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG OVERSHOOTS ASSIGNED ALT ON DESCENT.

Narrative: DESCENT FROM 14,000 TO ASSIGNED ALT OF 10,000 WE FAILED TO ARM THE ALT CAPTURE MODE ON AUTOPLT/FLT DIRECTOR. WE DISCOVERED OUR MISTAKE AS I PASSED 300-400 BELOW OUR ASSIGNED ALT, WITH A SIMULTANEOUS ALT ALERT WARNING. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE DESCENT AND CLIMBED BACK TO 10,000'. WE COULD HAVE AVOIDED THE OCCURRENCE IF WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ADHERING TO COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT. THE CAPT DID NOT MAKE THE MANDATORY 1000 FEET TO GO CALLOUT. WE WERE ALSO DISTRACTED BY OUR CONVERSATION.

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.