An air carrier flight crew descends, briefly, from their assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	326680
Time
Date	199601
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	326680
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We leveled at 11000 ft approaching eugene. For some reason, I thought that we were not going to descend fully on time, so I started the plane down and deviated 500 ft low before returning to 11000 ft. Things weren't helped that approach told about this time that the WX was now below minimums for the VOR approach and we would now have the runway 19 ILS with strong crosswind. Lord, how confusion reigned. ATC never mentioned our altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC DSNDS, BRIEFLY, FROM THEIR ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: WE LEVELED AT 11000 FT APCHING EUGENE. FOR SOME REASON, I THOUGHT THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO DSND FULLY ON TIME, SO I STARTED THE PLANE DOWN AND DEVIATED 500 FT LOW BEFORE RETURNING TO 11000 FT. THINGS WEREN'T HELPED THAT APCH TOLD ABOUT THIS TIME THAT THE WX WAS NOW BELOW MINIMUMS FOR THE VOR APCH AND WE WOULD NOW HAVE THE RWY 19 ILS WITH STRONG XWIND. LORD, HOW CONFUSION REIGNED. ATC NEVER MENTIONED 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.