Air carrier medium large transport altitude deviation overshot during descent.

Attributes
ACN	191845
Time
Date	199110
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : srp
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zab
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 275 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	191845
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	192013
Events
Anomaly	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

Narrative:

Inbound to phx, our initial clearance was pilot's discretion to 12000 ft. Our cruise altitude was 33000. We were initiating our descent when we received a clearance to descend to FL290. A comment was made to the effect that we were needed out of FL330. I continued the descent past FL290 to 12000 ft thinking that discretion to 12000 was still valid. There was traffic at FL280 which we had on TCASII but no resolution was issued by TCASII. Abq center told us to rush to FL270, which we did. It was late at night and last flight of the day and of a 3 day trip. I was probably not as sharp as I normally am. It would have been better stated by the controller had he said 'cancel pilot's discretion and descend now to FL290.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT DEV OVERSHOT DURING DSCNT.

Narrative: INBOUND TO PHX, OUR INITIAL CLRNC WAS PLT'S DISCRETION TO 12000 FT. OUR CRUISE ALT WAS 33000. WE WERE INITIATING OUR DSCNT WHEN WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO DSND TO FL290. A COMMENT WAS MADE TO THE EFFECT THAT WE WERE NEEDED OUT OF FL330. I CONTINUED THE DSCNT PAST FL290 TO 12000 FT THINKING THAT DISCRETION TO 12000 WAS STILL VALID. THERE WAS TFC AT FL280 WHICH WE HAD ON TCASII BUT NO RESOLUTION WAS ISSUED BY TCASII. ABQ CENTER TOLD US TO RUSH TO FL270, WHICH WE DID. IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND LAST FLT OF THE DAY AND OF A 3 DAY TRIP. I WAS PROBABLY NOT AS SHARP AS I NORMALLY AM. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER STATED BY THE CTLR HAD HE SAID 'CANCEL PLT'S DISCRETION AND DSND NOW TO FL290.'

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.