Air carrier medium large transport altitude overshot in descent into sfo.

Attributes
ACN	174266
Time
Date	199103
Day	Sun
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pye
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19600 msl bound upper : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
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 : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 71 flight time total : 800 flight time type : 71
ASRS Report	174266
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During descent on the golden gate 2 arrival into sfo, ATC gave us a clearance to descend to FL200. I was flying the aircraft at approximately 4000 FPM descent and 280 KTS. The captain was adjusting the radar and I was tuning a radio and looking at the arrival procedure when we heard the altitude alert go off. At that time we were approximately 19600' MSL and started climbing back up to FL200 immediately. I believe the high pilot workload at that particular time caused me not to hear the first altitude alert (1000' above 20000') and the high descent rate made me pass through the altitude when I thought I had more time. I don't think the captain gave the standard call of, '1000' to go,' or, '21 for 20,' but the captain was busy adjusting the radar, and I should have noticed it and stopped what I was doing with the radio to level the aircraft. Now that this has happened to me, when I am climbing or descending to an altitude, 1000' before I do, I do not do anything but fly the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT OVERSHOT IN DESCENT INTO SFO.

Narrative: DURING DSNT ON THE GOLDEN GATE 2 ARR INTO SFO, ATC GAVE US A CLRNC TO DSND TO FL200. I WAS FLYING THE ACFT AT APPROX 4000 FPM DSNT AND 280 KTS. THE CAPT WAS ADJUSTING THE RADAR AND I WAS TUNING A RADIO AND LOOKING AT THE ARR PROC WHEN WE HEARD THE ALT ALERT GO OFF. AT THAT TIME WE WERE APPROX 19600' MSL AND STARTED CLBING BACK UP TO FL200 IMMEDIATELY. I BELIEVE THE HIGH PLT WORKLOAD AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME CAUSED ME NOT TO HEAR THE FIRST ALT ALERT (1000' ABOVE 20000') AND THE HIGH DSNT RATE MADE ME PASS THROUGH THE ALT WHEN I THOUGHT I HAD MORE TIME. I DON'T THINK THE CAPT GAVE THE STANDARD CALL OF, '1000' TO GO,' OR, '21 FOR 20,' BUT THE CAPT WAS BUSY ADJUSTING THE RADAR, AND I SHOULD HAVE NOTICED IT AND STOPPED WHAT I WAS DOING WITH THE RADIO TO LEVEL THE ACFT. NOW THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME, WHEN I AM CLBING OR DSNDING TO AN ALT, 1000' BEFORE I DO, I DO NOT DO ANYTHING BUT FLY THE ACFT.

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.