Flight crew descended below assigned altitude. Pilot deviation.

Attributes
ACN	122203
Time
Date	198909
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fay
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15200 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 26
ASRS Report	122203
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

I was working right/left/D/27. Took handoff on cpr X, out of FL200 descending to 16,000'. Noticed aircraft descending to 15,500'. Called previous controller (I wasn't talking to the aircraft yet) just as he was telling the aircraft to get back up to 16,000'. Aircraft reached 15,200' before starting back up.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW DESCENDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT. PLT DEVIATION.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING R/L/D/27. TOOK HANDOFF ON CPR X, OUT OF FL200 DESCENDING TO 16,000'. NOTICED ACFT DESCENDING TO 15,500'. CALLED PREVIOUS CTLR (I WASN'T TALKING TO THE ACFT YET) JUST AS HE WAS TELLING THE ACFT TO GET BACK UP TO 16,000'. ACFT REACHED 15,200' BEFORE STARTING BACK UP.

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.