Narrative:

Captain was flying aircraft on autoplt, descending to FL240. I was attempting to obtain ATIS landing information for cmh. As I was attempting to copy information, I heard 'altitude' warning go off. I looked up and saw the aircraft descending through FL238. I called our altitude deviation and captain returned to FL240. The problem was probably caused by the following contributing factors: 1) the MD80 has only a small yellow warning light on altimeter to warn pilot that he is approaching leveloff altitude. It goes out 250 ft from selected altitude and can only be seen if looking directly at instrument panel. 2) the altitude select feature of flight guidance system is easily disconnected by use of the vertical speed function. 3) ACARS was not working properly and I could not obtain cmh ATIS from it. 4) cmh voice ATIS is the same frequency as grr approach control. Approach control was very busy and constantly interfering with ATIS transmission, causing extreme distraction for PNF. 5) crew was nearing end of 13 hour duty day. Correction for problem: 1) modify MD80 altitude warning system to include voice warning approaching selected altitude. 2) modify flight guidance system to be less influenced by use of vertical speed control when approaching selected altitude. 3) change frequency of cmh ATIS. Note: this seems to be a very common problem on the east coast. 4) both pilots should have avoided distrs approaching altitude. 5) company should look at duty day problems. Coming from a military backgnd, I feel that the military was light yrs ahead of airlines when it comes to dealing with human factors problems.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW HAD ALT OVERSHOOT.

Narrative: CAPT WAS FLYING ACFT ON AUTOPLT, DSNDING TO FL240. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN ATIS LNDG INFO FOR CMH. AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO COPY INFO, I HEARD 'ALT' WARNING GO OFF. I LOOKED UP AND SAW THE ACFT DSNDING THROUGH FL238. I CALLED OUR ALTDEV AND CAPT RETURNED TO FL240. THE PROB WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY THE FOLLOWING CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) THE MD80 HAS ONLY A SMALL YELLOW WARNING LIGHT ON ALTIMETER TO WARN PLT THAT HE IS APCHING LEVELOFF ALT. IT GOES OUT 250 FT FROM SELECTED ALT AND CAN ONLY BE SEEN IF LOOKING DIRECTLY AT INST PANEL. 2) THE ALT SELECT FEATURE OF FLT GUIDANCE SYS IS EASILY DISCONNECTED BY USE OF THE VERT SPD FUNCTION. 3) ACARS WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND I COULD NOT OBTAIN CMH ATIS FROM IT. 4) CMH VOICE ATIS IS THE SAME FREQ AS GRR APCH CTL. APCH CTL WAS VERY BUSY AND CONSTANTLY INTERFERING WITH ATIS XMISSION, CAUSING EXTREME DISTR FOR PNF. 5) CREW WAS NEARING END OF 13 HR DUTY DAY. CORRECTION FOR PROB: 1) MODIFY MD80 ALT WARNING SYS TO INCLUDE VOICE WARNING APCHING SELECTED ALT. 2) MODIFY FLT GUIDANCE SYS TO BE LESS INFLUENCED BY USE OF VERT SPD CTL WHEN APCHING SELECTED ALT. 3) CHANGE FREQ OF CMH ATIS. NOTE: THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROB ON THE EAST COAST. 4) BOTH PLTS SHOULD HAVE AVOIDED DISTRS APCHING ALT. 5) COMPANY SHOULD LOOK AT DUTY DAY PROBS. COMING FROM A MIL BACKGND, I FEEL THAT THE MIL WAS LIGHT YRS AHEAD OF AIRLINES WHEN IT COMES TO DEALING WITH HUMAN FACTORS PROBS.

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.