Medium large transport cleared to descend overshoots assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	294940
Time
Date	199501
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : orf
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16800 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	294940
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented 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:

Descent into orf. I was cleared to 17000 ft MSL and while the copilot was talking to the orf operations people I got something in my eye. I got distracted and did not start to level off until 16800 ft. As I returned to 17000 ft the controller asked for our altitude .

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG CLRED TO DSND OVERSHOOTS ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: DSCNT INTO ORF. I WAS CLRED TO 17000 FT MSL AND WHILE THE COPLT WAS TALKING TO THE ORF OPS PEOPLE I GOT SOMETHING IN MY EYE. I GOT DISTRACTED AND DID NOT START TO LEVEL OFF UNTIL 16800 FT. AS I RETURNED TO 17000 FT THE CTLR ASKED FOR OUR ALT .

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.