Large transport altitude deviation near tus.

Attributes
ACN	445080
Time
Date	199907
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tus.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6700 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : u90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	445080
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Assigned 7000 ft phx-tus. Captain descended out of 7000 ft while I was getting ATIS on VHF #2 and off ATC frequency. When I came back to VHF #1, I saw us descending to 6700 ft with 7000 ft in altitude window. I pointed this out and he climbed back up.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT ALTDEV NEAR TUS.

Narrative: ASSIGNED 7000 FT PHX-TUS. CAPT DSNDED OUT OF 7000 FT WHILE I WAS GETTING ATIS ON VHF #2 AND OFF ATC FREQ. WHEN I CAME BACK TO VHF #1, I SAW US DSNDING TO 6700 FT WITH 7000 FT IN ALT WINDOW. I POINTED THIS OUT AND HE CLBED BACK 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.