Narrative:

On flight from dca to mem we had an altitude deviation while descending into mem. We were at 9000' cleared to 7000'. First officer was flying. I called '2 to go' at 9000', '1 to go' at 8000' and was looking out the window for the airport when ATC called saying our assigned altitude was 7000'. I said, 'roger, 7000.' nothing more said for about seconds when another airline said, 'what altitude is that guy supposed to be at?' approach said 7000'. When approach told us assigned altitude was 7000' I saw 6500' in the altimeter. The altitude got to about 6200' before climbing back to 7000'. I called msp approach to get mem approach phone #. The msp approach supervisor said he would call mem. They said an altitude deviation was filed. We should have been paying more attention. It was the first officer's second trip with the airline.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST. POTENTIAL CONFLICT.

Narrative: ON FLT FROM DCA TO MEM WE HAD AN ALT DEVIATION WHILE DSNDING INTO MEM. WE WERE AT 9000' CLRED TO 7000'. F/O WAS FLYING. I CALLED '2 TO GO' AT 9000', '1 TO GO' AT 8000' AND WAS LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW FOR THE ARPT WHEN ATC CALLED SAYING OUR ASSIGNED ALT WAS 7000'. I SAID, 'ROGER, 7000.' NOTHING MORE SAID FOR ABOUT SECS WHEN ANOTHER AIRLINE SAID, 'WHAT ALT IS THAT GUY SUPPOSED TO BE AT?' APCH SAID 7000'. WHEN APCH TOLD US ASSIGNED ALT WAS 7000' I SAW 6500' IN THE ALTIMETER. THE ALT GOT TO ABOUT 6200' BEFORE CLBING BACK TO 7000'. I CALLED MSP APCH TO GET MEM APCH PHONE #. THE MSP APCH SUPVR SAID HE WOULD CALL MEM. THEY SAID AN ALT DEV WAS FILED. WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING MORE ATTN. IT WAS THE F/O'S SECOND TRIP WITH THE AIRLINE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.