Narrative:

Copilot descended through assigned altitude while training. Captain was distraction by question from jump seat occupant. A classic example of letting your guard down when flying on a training mission with highly experienced students transitioning to new equipment. The incident highlights the need to never make assumptions of capabilities or skill levels of persons in other seat. Also to never allow distrs to interfere with critical tasks. Such a situation almost always develops under ideal operating conditions.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CAPT, DISTR BY NON ESSENTIAL CONVERSATION WITH JUMP SEAT TRAINEE, ALLOWED FO TO DSND BELOW CLRED ALT IN ZMP AIRSPACE.

Narrative: COPLT DSNDED THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT WHILE TRAINING. CAPT WAS DISTR BY QUESTION FROM JUMP SEAT OCCUPANT. A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF LETTING YOUR GUARD DOWN WHEN FLYING ON A TRAINING MISSION WITH HIGHLY EXPERIENCED STUDENTS TRANSITIONING TO NEW EQUIP. THE INCIDENT HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED TO NEVER MAKE ASSUMPTIONS OF CAPABILITIES OR SKILL LEVELS OF PERSONS IN OTHER SEAT. ALSO TO NEVER ALLOW DISTRS TO INTERFERE WITH CRITICAL TASKS. SUCH A SIT ALMOST ALWAYS DEVELOPS UNDER IDEAL OPERATING CONDITIONS.

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.