An air carrier flight crew flying a B737-400 descends below their assigned altitude at sfo.

Attributes
ACN	453305
Time
Date	199910
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : charted visual arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 13500 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	453305
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer observation : company check pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11900 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	453308
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented 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:

I was PF on the last leg of IOE with a captain in the right seat. We were cleared direct to archi, told to descend to 7000 ft, and expect the FMS visual approach. Then, while doing all of that, traffic was called out on the left, and we were to report that in sight, which we did. When passing archi, we descended to 6000 ft. Then the controller stated, 'descend to 6000 ft, I see you are there already, maintain 6000 ft,' and then he cleared us for the FMS bridge visual. The rest of the approach was uneventful. The combination of many instructions at once on a busy approach, and being new in the airplane and left seat caused us to omit the 'expect' in our thought process.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC FLYING A B737-400 DSNDS BELOW THEIR ASSIGNED ALT AT SFO.

Narrative: I WAS PF ON THE LAST LEG OF IOE WITH A CAPT IN THE R SEAT. WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO ARCHI, TOLD TO DSND TO 7000 FT, AND EXPECT THE FMS VISUAL APCH. THEN, WHILE DOING ALL OF THAT, TFC WAS CALLED OUT ON THE L, AND WE WERE TO RPT THAT IN SIGHT, WHICH WE DID. WHEN PASSING ARCHI, WE DSNDED TO 6000 FT. THEN THE CTLR STATED, 'DSND TO 6000 FT, I SEE YOU ARE THERE ALREADY, MAINTAIN 6000 FT,' AND THEN HE CLRED US FOR THE FMS BRIDGE VISUAL. THE REST OF THE APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE COMBINATION OF MANY INSTRUCTIONS AT ONCE ON A BUSY APCH, AND BEING NEW IN THE AIRPLANE AND L SEAT CAUSED US TO OMIT THE 'EXPECT' IN OUR THOUGHT PROCESS.

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.