Altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	145734
Time
Date	199005
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pmd
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1139
ASRS Report	145734
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	145538
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

At FL230 on ziggy 1 arrival, while I was talking to the F/a, the captain (PNF) received clearance to cross majek at 14000', then descend to 13000'. He put 13000 in the altitude reminder. I let down to 13000' by majek thinking that was the revised crossing altitude. The captain did not say anything other than normal SOP calling out 14000' for 13000'. Cockpit interruptions are unaviodable, however setting only the cleared altitude in the reminder would prevent a recurrence. Supplemental information from acn 145538: the workload was increasing before FL200; settling a problem encountered by my 1 F/a, approach checklist, ATIS. I assumed the first officer understood the clearance and that our DME and sink rate indicated that he would hit 30D at 14000' and continued to 13000', so I reset the altitude alert to 13000' and tuned my navigation to homeland VOR for hitop intersection.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION.

Narrative: AT FL230 ON ZIGGY 1 ARR, WHILE I WAS TALKING TO THE F/A, THE CAPT (PNF) RECEIVED CLRNC TO CROSS MAJEK AT 14000', THEN DSND TO 13000'. HE PUT 13000 IN THE ALT REMINDER. I LET DOWN TO 13000' BY MAJEK THINKING THAT WAS THE REVISED XING ALT. THE CAPT DID NOT SAY ANYTHING OTHER THAN NORMAL SOP CALLING OUT 14000' FOR 13000'. COCKPIT INTERRUPTIONS ARE UNAVIODABLE, HOWEVER SETTING ONLY THE CLRED ALT IN THE REMINDER WOULD PREVENT A RECURRENCE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 145538: THE WORKLOAD WAS INCREASING BEFORE FL200; SETTLING A PROB ENCOUNTERED BY MY 1 F/A, APCH CHKLIST, ATIS. I ASSUMED THE F/O UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC AND THAT OUR DME AND SINK RATE INDICATED THAT HE WOULD HIT 30D AT 14000' AND CONTINUED TO 13000', SO I RESET THE ALT ALERT TO 13000' AND TUNED MY NAV TO HOMELAND VOR FOR HITOP INTXN.

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.