Narrative:

While descending to 17000 ft in clear conditions. The captain (PF) and I were briefly distracted by an aircraft we saw on TCASII as well as visually. Through FL180 we both responded '1 to go.' we caught ourselves going approximately 500 ft low and returned to 17000 ft. We constantly switch from a model of the medium large transport with automatic level off to older models without it. This can cause confusion. I feel the fleet should be standardized in either confign. Also, the warning horn for altitude alert needs to tell us when we are about to bust an altitude, not that we have busted it. Supplemental information from acn it. Supplemental information from acn 245978: it's just a matter of time until all air carrier pilots do the same. Air carrier should standardize all autoplts! It would probably be cheaper than paying the feds!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT DURING DSCNT.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING TO 17000 FT IN CLR CONDITIONS. THE CAPT (PF) AND I WERE BRIEFLY DISTRACTED BY AN ACFT WE SAW ON TCASII AS WELL AS VISUALLY. THROUGH FL180 WE BOTH RESPONDED '1 TO GO.' WE CAUGHT OURSELVES GOING APPROX 500 FT LOW AND RETURNED TO 17000 FT. WE CONSTANTLY SWITCH FROM A MODEL OF THE MLG WITH AUTO LEVEL OFF TO OLDER MODELS WITHOUT IT. THIS CAN CAUSE CONFUSION. I FEEL THE FLEET SHOULD BE STANDARDIZED IN EITHER CONFIGN. ALSO, THE WARNING HORN FOR ALT ALERT NEEDS TO TELL US WHEN WE ARE ABOUT TO BUST AN ALT, NOT THAT WE HAVE BUSTED IT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN IT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 245978: IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL ALL ACR PLTS DO THE SAME. ACR SHOULD STANDARDIZE ALL AUTOPLTS! IT WOULD PROBABLY BE CHEAPER THAN PAYING THE FEDS!

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.