Air carrier light transport aircraft flight crew inadvertently undershot assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	205528
Time
Date	199203
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : brl
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zkc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 203 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	205528
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	206063
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cid to stl, air carrier light transport aircraft was cleared to FL210 by ZAU. Altitude was set on altitude alerter by the captain. However, we inadvertently leveled off at FL200 and did not become aware of our mistake until changing frequency to ZKC and advising of our present altitude. The center controller replied asking about altitude cleared to, to which I replied 'we're climbing to FL210.' the controller acknowledged and we reached assigned altitude shortly thereafter. No mention of any conflict was made by ATC. Time (estimated) spent at wrong altitude was 5 mins or less. The following factors, I feel, contributed to this situation: crew inattn due to fatigue. Crew got off duty the previous night at XX07, checking into hotel at around XY00. Crew departed hotel at OZ00 next morning. Crew was on 'required' reduced rest of no less than 8 hours. However, current FARS consider transportation to and from hotel part of 'required rest!' actual crew rest was more on the order of 5 hours. Crew had been on duty for 10 hours 56 mins on previous day, flying a total of 4 hours 49 mins.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LTT ACFT FLC INADVERTENTLY UNDERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: CID TO STL, ACR LTT ACFT WAS CLRED TO FL210 BY ZAU. ALT WAS SET ON ALT ALERTER BY THE CAPT. HOWEVER, WE INADVERTENTLY LEVELED OFF AT FL200 AND DID NOT BECOME AWARE OF OUR MISTAKE UNTIL CHANGING FREQ TO ZKC AND ADVISING OF OUR PRESENT ALT. THE CTR CTLR REPLIED ASKING ABOUT ALT CLRED TO, TO WHICH I REPLIED 'WE'RE CLBING TO FL210.' THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED AND WE REACHED ASSIGNED ALT SHORTLY THEREAFTER. NO MENTION OF ANY CONFLICT WAS MADE BY ATC. TIME (ESTIMATED) SPENT AT WRONG ALT WAS 5 MINS OR LESS. THE FOLLOWING FACTORS, I FEEL, CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SITUATION: CREW INATTN DUE TO FATIGUE. CREW GOT OFF DUTY THE PREVIOUS NIGHT AT XX07, CHKING INTO HOTEL AT AROUND XY00. CREW DEPARTED HOTEL AT OZ00 NEXT MORNING. CREW WAS ON 'REQUIRED' REDUCED REST OF NO LESS THAN 8 HRS. HOWEVER, CURRENT FARS CONSIDER TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM HOTEL PART OF 'REQUIRED REST!' ACTUAL CREW REST WAS MORE ON THE ORDER OF 5 HRS. CREW HAD BEEN ON DUTY FOR 10 HRS 56 MINS ON PREVIOUS DAY, FLYING A TOTAL OF 4 HRS 49 MINS.

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.