Air carrier widebody transport altitude deviation overshot during descent.

Attributes
ACN	119422
Time
Date	198908
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sea
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 32100 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 25000
ASRS Report	119422
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	119361
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer flying, relief pilot in captain's seat, clearance from FL410 to FL330, international relief pilot changes seats with captain for rest of descent/landing. I'm busy on second officer panel with last minute maintenance write-ups, when first officer says in effect, 'oops, we're supposed to stop at 330,' (we were at 32100'!) and then climbed back up. First officer had busted just about every altitude by at least 100' and occasionally 300'. It was during previous part of flight during climb after takeoff and en route climbs that I noticed, at least. I should have monitored him more closely! I felt like an instrument with students because the captain was very disorganized and unknowledgable. The first officer has less than 6 months on the aircraft and didn't know it well at all and said he had to go to the training center to get current, since he was on reserve and hadn't flown. This was his first leg in 2 months. Captain is less than 4 months from retirement and I'm over 60--a retread! Makes one wonder where the age break should be!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT DURING DESCENT.

Narrative: F/O FLYING, RELIEF PLT IN CAPT'S SEAT, CLRNC FROM FL410 TO FL330, INTL RELIEF PLT CHANGES SEATS WITH CAPT FOR REST OF DSCNT/LNDG. I'M BUSY ON S/O PANEL WITH LAST MINUTE MAINT WRITE-UPS, WHEN F/O SAYS IN EFFECT, 'OOPS, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO STOP AT 330,' (WE WERE AT 32100'!) AND THEN CLBED BACK UP. F/O HAD BUSTED JUST ABOUT EVERY ALT BY AT LEAST 100' AND OCCASIONALLY 300'. IT WAS DURING PREVIOUS PART OF FLT DURING CLB AFTER TKOF AND ENRTE CLBS THAT I NOTICED, AT LEAST. I SHOULD HAVE MONITORED HIM MORE CLOSELY! I FELT LIKE AN INSTR WITH STUDENTS BECAUSE THE CAPT WAS VERY DISORGANIZED AND UNKNOWLEDGABLE. THE F/O HAS LESS THAN 6 MONTHS ON THE ACFT AND DIDN'T KNOW IT WELL AT ALL AND SAID HE HAD TO GO TO THE TRNING CENTER TO GET CURRENT, SINCE HE WAS ON RESERVE AND HADN'T FLOWN. THIS WAS HIS FIRST LEG IN 2 MONTHS. CAPT IS LESS THAN 4 MONTHS FROM RETIREMENT AND I'M OVER 60--A RETREAD! MAKES ONE WONDER WHERE THE AGE BREAK SHOULD BE!

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.