An air carrier medium large transport descended through its assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	252151
Time
Date	199309
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pxr
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 22000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab tower : ord
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
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 13300 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	252151
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 30000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

As we started our descent into phx, I called one of the flight attendants up to give her the information on the gate assignments. The first officer took a clearance from the ZAB, but did not read back the clearance. He set 12000 ft in the box, so I kept the descent going down. At 22000 ft ZAB asked our altitude. We were told to maintenance FL250. ZAB asked if we had traffic at our 10 O'clock and 5.1 mi. I said yes we do! I asked ZAB if we should give them a phone call. His reply was everything is ok, just descend to 12000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG DSNDED THROUGH ITS ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: AS WE STARTED OUR DSCNT INTO PHX, I CALLED ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS UP TO GIVE HER THE INFO ON THE GATE ASSIGNMENTS. THE FO TOOK A CLRNC FROM THE ZAB, BUT DID NOT READ BACK THE CLRNC. HE SET 12000 FT IN THE BOX, SO I KEPT THE DSCNT GOING DOWN. AT 22000 FT ZAB ASKED OUR ALT. WE WERE TOLD TO MAINT FL250. ZAB ASKED IF WE HAD TFC AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK AND 5.1 MI. I SAID YES WE DO! I ASKED ZAB IF WE SHOULD GIVE THEM A PHONE CALL. HIS REPLY WAS EVERYTHING IS OK, JUST DSND TO 12000 FT.

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.