During a divert for a medical emergency, a DC9 flight crew overshot their assigned altitude during descent. The PNF was distracted with handling all of the radio calls associated with the divert, and the PF became distracted in locating a VOR frequency that was not on the chart in use. The controller intervened and assigned a lower altitude.

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Attributes
ACN	333025
Time
Date	199604
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rdu
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26400 msl bound upper : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 13100 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	333025
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight attendants reported passenger in need of medical attention. While being vectored and descending into rdu, controller assigned altitude of FL270. First officer flying, captain coordinating with dispatch company for medical divert and assistance. Center gave a clearance to proceed direct fayetteville VOR (not on high chart). In process of trying to find VOR aircraft descended through assigned altitude of FL270 to approximately FL264. Controller then gave clearance to FL220. A medical emergency had not been declared, we had only requested priority into rdu. Controller did not comment on altitude deviation. Flight landed at rdu without incident. Lesson #1 -- declare the emergency. Lesson #2 -- in a 2 pilot aircraft things get busy in a hurry if something is out of the ordinary. Request all the assistance needed, a request for a vector to the VOR with the frequency would have alleviated the chart shuffling, looking for fayetteville.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING A DIVERT FOR A MEDICAL EMER, A DC9 FLC OVERSHOT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT DURING DSCNT. THE PNF WAS DISTRACTED WITH HANDLING ALL OF THE RADIO CALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DIVERT, AND THE PF BECAME DISTRACTED IN LOCATING A VOR FREQ THAT WAS NOT ON THE CHART IN USE. THE CTLR INTERVENED AND ASSIGNED A LOWER ALT.

Narrative: FLT ATTENDANTS RPTED PAX IN NEED OF MEDICAL ATTN. WHILE BEING VECTORED AND DSNDING INTO RDU, CTLR ASSIGNED ALT OF FL270. FO FLYING, CAPT COORDINATING WITH DISPATCH COMPANY FOR MEDICAL DIVERT AND ASSISTANCE. CTR GAVE A CLRNC TO PROCEED DIRECT FAYETTEVILLE VOR (NOT ON HIGH CHART). IN PROCESS OF TRYING TO FIND VOR ACFT DSNDED THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT OF FL270 TO APPROX FL264. CTLR THEN GAVE CLRNC TO FL220. A MEDICAL EMER HAD NOT BEEN DECLARED, WE HAD ONLY REQUESTED PRIORITY INTO RDU. CTLR DID NOT COMMENT ON ALTDEV. FLT LANDED AT RDU WITHOUT INCIDENT. LESSON #1 -- DECLARE THE EMER. LESSON #2 -- IN A 2 PLT ACFT THINGS GET BUSY IN A HURRY IF SOMETHING IS OUT OF THE ORDINARY. REQUEST ALL THE ASSISTANCE NEEDED, A REQUEST FOR A VECTOR TO THE VOR WITH THE FREQ WOULD HAVE ALLEVIATED THE CHART SHUFFLING, LOOKING FOR FAYETTEVILLE.

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.