LR35 crew had altitude overshoot.

Attributes
ACN	444910
Time
Date	199907
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : slc.airport
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11700 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : s56.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Learjet 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	444910
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : altitude alert other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On arrival to slc we were descending to 12000 ft from 15000 ft, we had set the altitude alerter. I was finishing the approach checklist and I heard the altitude alerter sound at 11700 ft. I called out 'altitude' and the pilot arrested our descent and corrected back to 12000 ft. The remainder of the flight continued without incident. I believe the pilot had just become distraction during the descent into slc. He was meeting a friend in slc was struggling with the illness of his wife. The excursion could have been avoided had I seen the deviation occurring but I was busy with the checklist, so the only solution would have been to swap legs and let me fly into slc.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LR35 CREW HAD ALT OVERSHOOT.

Narrative: ON ARR TO SLC WE WERE DSNDING TO 12000 FT FROM 15000 FT, WE HAD SET THE ALT ALERTER. I WAS FINISHING THE APCH CHKLIST AND I HEARD THE ALT ALERTER SOUND AT 11700 FT. I CALLED OUT 'ALT' AND THE PLT ARRESTED OUR DSCNT AND CORRECTED BACK TO 12000 FT. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THE PLT HAD JUST BECOME DISTR DURING THE DSCNT INTO SLC. HE WAS MEETING A FRIEND IN SLC WAS STRUGGLING WITH THE ILLNESS OF HIS WIFE. THE EXCURSION COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD I SEEN THE DEV OCCURRING BUT I WAS BUSY WITH THE CHKLIST, SO THE ONLY SOLUTION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO SWAP LEGS AND LET ME FLY INTO SLC.

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.