Narrative:

ZKC cleared us from FL310 to FL290. At the time we received the clearance and began the descent, I was trying to pick up ict's ATIS. I made the mistake of not telling the captain I was leaving the frequency (center), but instead tried to listen to both. I did this because there was an acm in the cockpit who was a friend of the captain, and they were having a very distracting conversation the entire flight. Of course, during the conversation, the captain was missing radio calls from center. While trying to ignore their conversation and listen to both center and ATIS, I missed the fact that we descended through our altitude assignment by about 300 ft. Thankfully, it was the acm that noticed it and spoke up.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9-30 FLC DSNDS BELOW CLRED ALT.

Narrative: ZKC CLRED US FROM FL310 TO FL290. AT THE TIME WE RECEIVED THE CLRNC AND BEGAN THE DSCNT, I WAS TRYING TO PICK UP ICT'S ATIS. I MADE THE MISTAKE OF NOT TELLING THE CAPT I WAS LEAVING THE FREQ (CTR), BUT INSTEAD TRIED TO LISTEN TO BOTH. I DID THIS BECAUSE THERE WAS AN ACM IN THE COCKPIT WHO WAS A FRIEND OF THE CAPT, AND THEY WERE HAVING A VERY DISTRACTING CONVERSATION THE ENTIRE FLT. OF COURSE, DURING THE CONVERSATION, THE CAPT WAS MISSING RADIO CALLS FROM CTR. WHILE TRYING TO IGNORE THEIR CONVERSATION AND LISTEN TO BOTH CTR AND ATIS, I MISSED THE FACT THAT WE DSNDED THROUGH OUR ALT ASSIGNMENT BY ABOUT 300 FT. THANKFULLY, IT WAS THE ACM THAT NOTICED IT AND SPOKE UP.

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.