Altitude deviation altitude overshot in descent.

Attributes
ACN	297510
Time
Date	199502
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : psp
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 22500 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	297510
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Pilots were debating about how distracting our new voice checklist is. The debate caused an even bigger distraction which allowed us to deviate from our assigned altitude. Our 1000 ft above or below callout before leveloff was not made because of the debate in process. Neither pilot recognized the altitude deviation until 1500 ft below assigned altitude. Pilots need to debate on the ground not in the air.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT IN DSCNT.

Narrative: PLTS WERE DEBATING ABOUT HOW DISTRACTING OUR NEW VOICE CHKLIST IS. THE DEBATE CAUSED AN EVEN BIGGER DISTR WHICH ALLOWED US TO DEVIATE FROM OUR ASSIGNED ALT. OUR 1000 FT ABOVE OR BELOW CALLOUT BEFORE LEVELOFF WAS NOT MADE BECAUSE OF THE DEBATE IN PROCESS. NEITHER PLT RECOGNIZED THE ALTDEV UNTIL 1500 FT BELOW ASSIGNED ALT. PLTS NEED TO DEBATE ON THE GND NOT IN THE AIR.

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.