An air carrier flight crew distracted by traffic descends below their assigned altitude and then rec...

Attributes
ACN	329160
Time
Date	199602
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6750 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	329160
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	329159
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
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:

On vectors to ILS runway 22R, cleared to 7000 ft. I was flying, autoplt off, clear, smooth air, light traffic. As I leveled off at 7000 ft, TCASII gave a 'TA,' first officer and I looked out right window and saw aircraft departing ord coming straight at us. I realized the traffic would be no factor, as ord departures climb to 5000 ft and we were at 7000 ft. Simultaneously, the altitude alert sounded, and we were 250 ft low. ATC asked us to confirm our altitude as I releveled back at 7000 ft. I should have been paying attention to flying the aircraft instead of worrying about TCASII and traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC DISTRACTED BY TFC DSNDS BELOW THEIR ASSIGNED ALT AND THEN RECOVER.

Narrative: ON VECTORS TO ILS RWY 22R, CLRED TO 7000 FT. I WAS FLYING, AUTOPLT OFF, CLR, SMOOTH AIR, LIGHT TFC. AS I LEVELED OFF AT 7000 FT, TCASII GAVE A 'TA,' FO AND I LOOKED OUT R WINDOW AND SAW ACFT DEPARTING ORD COMING STRAIGHT AT US. I REALIZED THE TFC WOULD BE NO FACTOR, AS ORD DEPS CLB TO 5000 FT AND WE WERE AT 7000 FT. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE ALT ALERT SOUNDED, AND WE WERE 250 FT LOW. ATC ASKED US TO CONFIRM OUR ALT AS I RELEVELED BACK AT 7000 FT. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTN TO FLYING THE ACFT INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT TCASII AND TFC.

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.

An air carrier flight crew distracted by traffic descends below their assigned altitude and then recover.