Narrative:

There were 2 altitude deviation on this descent. The first was when I was cleared from FL370 to FL330. After leveling off at FL330 I was making a small adjustment to the altitude with the autoplt before engaging the altitude hold switch. I was distracted by some activity or radio call (I don't exactly recall) and the aircraft climbed about 400-500' before I noticed that I hadn't engaged the altitude hold switch. The second deviation occurred in exactly the same manner at my 10000' level off--the only difference was that the deviation was 400-500' down. The second distraction I believe was cockpit conversation. In both cases I quickly recovered to the proper altitude. After thinking about this a couple of days, my only theory on my difficulty with altitudes is that my first real turbo jet flying experience as first officer was on the widebody transport a and widebody transport B. Both have advanced autoplts with automatic altitude capture. I'm afraid that I had it done for me for so long that even after 2 1/2 yrs on the less advanced large transport, I sometimes find it difficult to concentrate on altitudes. The altitude alert instrument has been a great help but is not to be totally relied upon. The one thing I can think of is to brief my fellow crew members to keep a close watch on altitudes and to always try to be aware that I do have this difficulty.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT DURING DESCENT.

Narrative: THERE WERE 2 ALT DEVIATION ON THIS DSCNT. THE FIRST WAS WHEN I WAS CLRED FROM FL370 TO FL330. AFTER LEVELING OFF AT FL330 I WAS MAKING A SMALL ADJUSTMENT TO THE ALT WITH THE AUTOPLT BEFORE ENGAGING THE ALT HOLD SWITCH. I WAS DISTRACTED BY SOME ACTIVITY OR RADIO CALL (I DON'T EXACTLY RECALL) AND THE ACFT CLBED ABOUT 400-500' BEFORE I NOTICED THAT I HADN'T ENGAGED THE ALT HOLD SWITCH. THE SECOND DEVIATION OCCURRED IN EXACTLY THE SAME MANNER AT MY 10000' LEVEL OFF--THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WAS THAT THE DEVIATION WAS 400-500' DOWN. THE SECOND DISTR I BELIEVE WAS COCKPIT CONVERSATION. IN BOTH CASES I QUICKLY RECOVERED TO THE PROPER ALT. AFTER THINKING ABOUT THIS A COUPLE OF DAYS, MY ONLY THEORY ON MY DIFFICULTY WITH ALTS IS THAT MY FIRST REAL TURBO JET FLYING EXPERIENCE AS F/O WAS ON THE WDB A AND WDB B. BOTH HAVE ADVANCED AUTOPLTS WITH AUTOMATIC ALT CAPTURE. I'M AFRAID THAT I HAD IT DONE FOR ME FOR SO LONG THAT EVEN AFTER 2 1/2 YRS ON THE LESS ADVANCED LGT, I SOMETIMES FIND IT DIFFICULT TO CONCENTRATE ON ALTS. THE ALT ALERT INSTRUMENT HAS BEEN A GREAT HELP BUT IS NOT TO BE TOTALLY RELIED UPON. THE ONE THING I CAN THINK OF IS TO BRIEF MY FELLOW CREW MEMBERS TO KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON ALTS AND TO ALWAYS TRY TO BE AWARE THAT I DO HAVE THIS DIFFICULTY.

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.