Narrative:

We were cleared to descend to FL240 and to expect 17000 ft, 250 KTS at ramms. Both pilots and myself were distracted by reviewing the arrival at the same time. The altitude alert sounded at 23700 ft and recovery was initiated, but the altitude reached 23500 ft. The deviation was corrected immediately. A contributing factor was the 'expect 17000 ft, 250 KTS at ramms' statement by the controller. This is the standard crossing clearance and we were close to ramms, so I think that was in the back of our minds even though that was not our clearance. A lesson relearned is to pay close attention to altitude especially within 1000 ft of a level off altitude. Supplemental information from acn 317540: I mentally computed the descent rate required to make the ramms crossing and forgot that we had not yet been cleared. Supplemental information from acn 317538: ATC immediately cleared flight to continue descent to FL230. No conflict due to deviation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT AFTER AN 'EXPECT CLRNC' WAS ISSUED BY ATC.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO FL240 AND TO EXPECT 17000 FT, 250 KTS AT RAMMS. BOTH PLTS AND MYSELF WERE DISTRACTED BY REVIEWING THE ARR AT THE SAME TIME. THE ALT ALERT SOUNDED AT 23700 FT AND RECOVERY WAS INITIATED, BUT THE ALT REACHED 23500 FT. THE DEV WAS CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE 'EXPECT 17000 FT, 250 KTS AT RAMMS' STATEMENT BY THE CTLR. THIS IS THE STANDARD XING CLRNC AND WE WERE CLOSE TO RAMMS, SO I THINK THAT WAS IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS NOT OUR CLRNC. A LESSON RELEARNED IS TO PAY CLOSE ATTN TO ALT ESPECIALLY WITHIN 1000 FT OF A LEVEL OFF ALT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 317540: I MENTALLY COMPUTED THE DSCNT RATE REQUIRED TO MAKE THE RAMMS XING AND FORGOT THAT WE HAD NOT YET BEEN CLRED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 317538: ATC IMMEDIATELY CLRED FLT TO CONTINUE DSCNT TO FL230. NO CONFLICT DUE TO DEV.

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.