Altitude deviation altitude overshot in descent.

Attributes
ACN	311880
Time
Date	199508
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lru airport : 5t6
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16700 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab tower : mso
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Conquest I/Conquest II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain observation : company check pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 12500 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	311880
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 712 flight time type : 56
ASRS Report	311885
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified 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:

During descent and from en route phase: abq gave us a pilot discretion descent from FL310 to FL170. Aircraft and autoplt and FMS was engaged and descent was started 60 NM north of santa teresa, NM. I reported leaving FL310 for 17000 ft. During descent, center gave me a 10 degree left turn to avoid opposite direction traffic (king air at FL190). At approximately FL210 I had the first officer hand fly the airplane. There were no passenger, and the first officer needs experience in the airplane. The altitude pre-select was set to 17000 ft. I was preoccupied looking for the traffic pointout, and did not hear the 1000 ft warning beep. The beep I heard, was the 300 ft low beep as we descended through 16600 ft. I stopped the descent, and immediately climbed back to 17000 ft. ATC asked if I had santa teresa airport in sight, and I replied affirmative. Abq handed us off to el paso approach. I canceled our IFR and continued in to santa teresa VFR. The altitude alerter audio is sometimes muffled by the noise level in the cockpit due to the sound of garret engines. This alert is further reduced by the use of headsets. Without headsets in the C441, radio procedures are almost impossible.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT IN DSCNT.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT AND FROM ENRTE PHASE: ABQ GAVE US A PLT DISCRETION DSCNT FROM FL310 TO FL170. ACFT AND AUTOPLT AND FMS WAS ENGAGED AND DSCNT WAS STARTED 60 NM N OF SANTA TERESA, NM. I RPTED LEAVING FL310 FOR 17000 FT. DURING DSCNT, CTR GAVE ME A 10 DEG L TURN TO AVOID OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC (KING AIR AT FL190). AT APPROX FL210 I HAD THE FO HAND FLY THE AIRPLANE. THERE WERE NO PAX, AND THE FO NEEDS EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRPLANE. THE ALT PRE-SELECT WAS SET TO 17000 FT. I WAS PREOCCUPIED LOOKING FOR THE TFC POINTOUT, AND DID NOT HEAR THE 1000 FT WARNING BEEP. THE BEEP I HEARD, WAS THE 300 FT LOW BEEP AS WE DSNDED THROUGH 16600 FT. I STOPPED THE DSCNT, AND IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO 17000 FT. ATC ASKED IF I HAD SANTA TERESA ARPT IN SIGHT, AND I REPLIED AFFIRMATIVE. ABQ HANDED US OFF TO EL PASO APCH. I CANCELED OUR IFR AND CONTINUED IN TO SANTA TERESA VFR. THE ALT ALERTER AUDIO IS SOMETIMES MUFFLED BY THE NOISE LEVEL IN THE COCKPIT DUE TO THE SOUND OF GARRET ENGS. THIS ALERT IS FURTHER REDUCED BY THE USE OF HEADSETS. WITHOUT HEADSETS IN THE C441, RADIO PROCS ARE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.

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.