Narrative:

I was the check airman in the right seat. Captain trainee was flying from the left seat. We were cleared to descend to 14000 ft in the holding pattern. He overshot altitude by approximately 240-250 ft. I started telling him to level off at approximately 13900- 14000 ft. But it took him a little time to do it smoothly. There were no aircraft below us and the controller did not say anything. As an instructor it is very difficult to determine how long to let a situation continue. You have to let the trainee learn and you don't want to take over and ruin his confidence. By him making this mistake he will learn to be more attentive.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CHK AIRMAN ALLOWED THE TRAINEE TO DSND TO 13750 FT BEFORE GETTING BACK TO THE ASSIGNED ALT OF 14000 FT IN THE INTEREST OF SMOOTHNESS AND ALLOWING THE CAPT TRAINEE TO CORRECT HIS OWN ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS THE CHK AIRMAN IN THE R SEAT. CAPT TRAINEE WAS FLYING FROM THE L SEAT. WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 14000 FT IN THE HOLDING PATTERN. HE OVERSHOT ALT BY APPROX 240-250 FT. I STARTED TELLING HIM TO LEVEL OFF AT APPROX 13900- 14000 FT. BUT IT TOOK HIM A LITTLE TIME TO DO IT SMOOTHLY. THERE WERE NO ACFT BELOW US AND THE CTLR DID NOT SAY ANYTHING. AS AN INSTRUCTOR IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE HOW LONG TO LET A SIT CONTINUE. YOU HAVE TO LET THE TRAINEE LEARN AND YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE OVER AND RUIN HIS CONFIDENCE. BY HIM MAKING THIS MISTAKE HE WILL LEARN TO BE MORE ATTENTIVE.

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.