Narrative:

We had been cleared for an en route descent, with several successive altitude step downs. We were cleared to maintain 12,000'. I called '2 to go' and '1 to go' as appropriate (captain was flying aircraft). After passing 13,000 for 12,000 and calling 1 to go, I informed the captain I would be 'off center frequency' talking to company for arrival gate information, a maintenance problem and connecting gate information. He acknowledged and I contacted company. While writing down this information, the altitude alert sounded again. I looked up and simultaneously observed 12,000 in the altitude alert window, 11,500 on both of our altimeters and the captain talking to cleveland center. It seems that center called to check on our altitude deviation at about the same time as the altitude alert sounded, 300 below assigned altitude. This was a very experienced crew, the captain having flown this aircraft type/model for 12 yrs, 3-4 as captain, myself having flown other turbojet aircraft for 5-6 yrs. We were 80 mi from the airport yet and above the sterile cockpit altitude, I was doing 'related duties' as required, and the boss screwed up. I guess this is what happens and will continue to happen more often as the industry continues to go to 2-MAN (crew) aircraft. Is this what the powers to be in the FAA, airline management and aircraft manufacturers want? I don't!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ACFT DESCENDED BELOW ASSIGNED LEVEL OFF ALT.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR AN ENRTE DSCNT, WITH SEVERAL SUCCESSIVE ALT STEP DOWNS. WE WERE CLRED TO MAINTAIN 12,000'. I CALLED '2 TO GO' AND '1 TO GO' AS APPROPRIATE (CAPT WAS FLYING ACFT). AFTER PASSING 13,000 FOR 12,000 AND CALLING 1 TO GO, I INFORMED THE CAPT I WOULD BE 'OFF CENTER FREQ' TALKING TO COMPANY FOR ARR GATE INFO, A MAINT PROBLEM AND CONNECTING GATE INFO. HE ACKNOWLEDGED AND I CONTACTED COMPANY. WHILE WRITING DOWN THIS INFO, THE ALT ALERT SOUNDED AGAIN. I LOOKED UP AND SIMULTANEOUSLY OBSERVED 12,000 IN THE ALT ALERT WINDOW, 11,500 ON BOTH OF OUR ALTIMETERS AND THE CAPT TALKING TO CLEVELAND CENTER. IT SEEMS THAT CENTER CALLED TO CHECK ON OUR ALT DEVIATION AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS THE ALT ALERT SOUNDED, 300 BELOW ASSIGNED ALT. THIS WAS A VERY EXPERIENCED CREW, THE CAPT HAVING FLOWN THIS ACFT TYPE/MODEL FOR 12 YRS, 3-4 AS CAPT, MYSELF HAVING FLOWN OTHER TURBOJET ACFT FOR 5-6 YRS. WE WERE 80 MI FROM THE ARPT YET AND ABOVE THE STERILE COCKPIT ALT, I WAS DOING 'RELATED DUTIES' AS REQUIRED, AND THE BOSS SCREWED UP. I GUESS THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN AS THE INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO GO TO 2-MAN (CREW) ACFT. IS THIS WHAT THE POWERS TO BE IN THE FAA, AIRLINE MGMNT AND ACFT MANUFACTURERS WANT? I DON'T!

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.