Air carrier flight crew experiences altitude overshoot in descent into tpa.

Attributes
ACN	463192
Time
Date	200002
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tpa.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tpa.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	463192
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 152 flight time total : 6583 flight time type : 422
ASRS Report	462690
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned airspace
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were being radar vectored for visual, ILS approach, runway 36L, tampa, fl. The last altitude selected in the altitude selector in the altitude selector was 3600 ft. At 3000 ft I noticed this and immediately climbed back to 3600 ft. Right at that moment, we were then cleared for a visual approach, runway 36L. I thought we had been cleared below. There was no conflict or factors involved. Supplemental information from acn 462690: we were running the before landing checklist, and I paused reading the checklist during the radio calls to and from ATC. I do not recall hearing the altitude alert chime sound as the aircraft continued descending below 3600 ft. Cockpit workload was normal for that phase of flight. The crew was well rested, having flown only 3 hours at the time of the deviation. As the ILS intercept altitude is 2600 ft, perhaps the captain was thinking 2600 ft was the assigned altitude, vice 3600 ft actually assigned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC EXPERIENCES ALT OVERSHOOT IN DSCNT INTO TPA.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING RADAR VECTORED FOR VISUAL, ILS APCH, RWY 36L, TAMPA, FL. THE LAST ALT SELECTED IN THE ALT SELECTOR IN THE ALT SELECTOR WAS 3600 FT. AT 3000 FT I NOTICED THIS AND IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO 3600 FT. RIGHT AT THAT MOMENT, WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH, RWY 36L. I THOUGHT WE HAD BEEN CLRED BELOW. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT OR FACTORS INVOLVED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 462690: WE WERE RUNNING THE BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST, AND I PAUSED READING THE CHKLIST DURING THE RADIO CALLS TO AND FROM ATC. I DO NOT RECALL HEARING THE ALT ALERT CHIME SOUND AS THE ACFT CONTINUED DSNDING BELOW 3600 FT. COCKPIT WORKLOAD WAS NORMAL FOR THAT PHASE OF FLT. THE CREW WAS WELL RESTED, HAVING FLOWN ONLY 3 HRS AT THE TIME OF THE DEV. AS THE ILS INTERCEPT ALT IS 2600 FT, PERHAPS THE CAPT WAS THINKING 2600 FT WAS THE ASSIGNED ALT, VICE 3600 FT ACTUALLY ASSIGNED.

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.