Captain of an ATR72 overshot assigned altitude during descent.

Attributes
ACN	445930
Time
Date	199908
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vps.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5600 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : p31.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATR 72
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 : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 1390 flight time type : 255
ASRS Report	445930
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During a descent into vps, ATC assigned our aircraft to descend to 6000 ft MSL. During the descent our advisory data unit failed. Per the poh, the flight director and autoplt were turned off. Also during the descent the captain and I were discussing 2 things: 1) the use of runway 30 at vps since ATIS reported winds of 310 degrees at 9 KTS, yet reported runways 12 and 19 were in use. 2) also discussed was the captain's strategy for avoiding several thunderstorm cells between us and the vps airport. During these discussions the aircraft descended to approximately 5600 ft MSL. Just as I caught the altitude deviation, pns approach asked for our altitude. I quickly responded to ATC that we were climbing to 6000 ft. The captain quickly climbed back to 6000 ft. Upon reaching 6000 ft, I asked if there were any conflicts with other aircraft due to our altdevs. The controller responded by saying, 'I guess not, if we were not shut down.' earlier in our descent, ZJX advised us that we would be descending over an active MOA that extended from the surface to 5000 ft MSL. The remainder of the flight was uneventful and the vps tower granted us the use of runway 30 after we requested the use of runway 30 on our initial contact with the vps tower.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN ATR72 OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT DURING DSCNT.

Narrative: DURING A DSCNT INTO VPS, ATC ASSIGNED OUR ACFT TO DSND TO 6000 FT MSL. DURING THE DSCNT OUR ADVISORY DATA UNIT FAILED. PER THE POH, THE FLT DIRECTOR AND AUTOPLT WERE TURNED OFF. ALSO DURING THE DSCNT THE CAPT AND I WERE DISCUSSING 2 THINGS: 1) THE USE OF RWY 30 AT VPS SINCE ATIS RPTED WINDS OF 310 DEGS AT 9 KTS, YET RPTED RWYS 12 AND 19 WERE IN USE. 2) ALSO DISCUSSED WAS THE CAPT'S STRATEGY FOR AVOIDING SEVERAL TSTM CELLS BTWN US AND THE VPS ARPT. DURING THESE DISCUSSIONS THE ACFT DSNDED TO APPROX 5600 FT MSL. JUST AS I CAUGHT THE ALTDEV, PNS APCH ASKED FOR OUR ALT. I QUICKLY RESPONDED TO ATC THAT WE WERE CLBING TO 6000 FT. THE CAPT QUICKLY CLBED BACK TO 6000 FT. UPON REACHING 6000 FT, I ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY CONFLICTS WITH OTHER ACFT DUE TO OUR ALTDEVS. THE CTLR RESPONDED BY SAYING, 'I GUESS NOT, IF WE WERE NOT SHUT DOWN.' EARLIER IN OUR DSCNT, ZJX ADVISED US THAT WE WOULD BE DSNDING OVER AN ACTIVE MOA THAT EXTENDED FROM THE SURFACE TO 5000 FT MSL. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL AND THE VPS TWR GRANTED US THE USE OF RWY 30 AFTER WE REQUESTED THE USE OF RWY 30 ON OUR INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE VPS TWR.

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.