A B737-500 flight crew descended through the assigned altitude on arrival to hou.

Attributes
ACN	438114
Time
Date	199905
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : iah.vortac
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9600 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon tower : ord.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-500
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	arrival star : coast 2
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	438114
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned airspace
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were given a heading to intercept the iah 305 degree radial and hoagi at 10000 ft and FL250. I selected the assigned heading and armed LNAV. My next intent was to set 10000 ft in MCP. For I was now in vertical speed. The first officer, without discussing anything with me, typed iah in his FMS and was going to do an intercept leg to iah. I explained that I had done one to hoagi and that the coast 2 was the iah 305 degree radial. He seemed confused and was not sure. I forgot to reset MCP to 10000 ft. The aircraft intercept the lateral portion of the arrival. Approaching 10000 ft I saw the mistake and disconnected the autoplt and made a smooth leveloff. We descended to approximately 9600 ft and smoothly climbed backed to 10000 ft. We checked in with iah approach and nothing was said.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-500 FLC DSNDED THROUGH THE ASSIGNED ALT ON ARR TO HOU.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A HDG TO INTERCEPT THE IAH 305 DEG RADIAL AND HOAGI AT 10000 FT AND FL250. I SELECTED THE ASSIGNED HDG AND ARMED LNAV. MY NEXT INTENT WAS TO SET 10000 FT IN MCP. FOR I WAS NOW IN VERT SPD. THE FO, WITHOUT DISCUSSING ANYTHING WITH ME, TYPED IAH IN HIS FMS AND WAS GOING TO DO AN INTERCEPT LEG TO IAH. I EXPLAINED THAT I HAD DONE ONE TO HOAGI AND THAT THE COAST 2 WAS THE IAH 305 DEG RADIAL. HE SEEMED CONFUSED AND WAS NOT SURE. I FORGOT TO RESET MCP TO 10000 FT. THE ACFT INTERCEPT THE LATERAL PORTION OF THE ARR. APCHING 10000 FT I SAW THE MISTAKE AND DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND MADE A SMOOTH LEVELOFF. WE DSNDED TO APPROX 9600 FT AND SMOOTHLY CLBED BACKED TO 10000 FT. WE CHKED IN WITH IAH APCH AND NOTHING WAS SAID.

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.