B737-200 crew had altitude overshoot in ZAB class east airspace.

Attributes
ACN	486070
Time
Date	200008
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : abq.vortac
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	486070
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter other non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were descending into abq as we were picking our way between thunderstorms. The captain was getting the abq arrival ATIS and trying to determine if we were too heavy to land. Needed flaps 15 degrees, or flaps 30 degrees. I was listening to the radios and flying when I thought we were cleared to 14000 ft MSL. I began my descent as the captain came back over. At 14700 ft MSL, center asked what we were doing and if we needed lower. When we asked her what she meant, she said we had not been cleared out of 16000 ft, but we could have lower if we needed it. Factors: 1) the WX and the landing performance problem (B737-200 landing at a high pressure altitude) were major distrs. If the captain had not been working on the data, he probably would have caught my mistake. 2) I believe I took someone else's clearance. I should have confirmed the lower altitude. Fixes: when landing at an airport where bad WX or when unusual circumstances exist (ie, performance problem), get terminal WX early and complete computations and preparations before descent from cruise. This will allow both pilots to listen on the radio to catch mistakes during high volume, busy and stressful arrs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-200 CREW HAD ALT OVERSHOOT IN ZAB CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING INTO ABQ AS WE WERE PICKING OUR WAY BTWN TSTMS. THE CAPT WAS GETTING THE ABQ ARR ATIS AND TRYING TO DETERMINE IF WE WERE TOO HVY TO LAND. NEEDED FLAPS 15 DEGS, OR FLAPS 30 DEGS. I WAS LISTENING TO THE RADIOS AND FLYING WHEN I THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED TO 14000 FT MSL. I BEGAN MY DSCNT AS THE CAPT CAME BACK OVER. AT 14700 FT MSL, CTR ASKED WHAT WE WERE DOING AND IF WE NEEDED LOWER. WHEN WE ASKED HER WHAT SHE MEANT, SHE SAID WE HAD NOT BEEN CLRED OUT OF 16000 FT, BUT WE COULD HAVE LOWER IF WE NEEDED IT. FACTORS: 1) THE WX AND THE LNDG PERFORMANCE PROB (B737-200 LNDG AT A HIGH PRESSURE ALT) WERE MAJOR DISTRS. IF THE CAPT HAD NOT BEEN WORKING ON THE DATA, HE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE CAUGHT MY MISTAKE. 2) I BELIEVE I TOOK SOMEONE ELSE'S CLRNC. I SHOULD HAVE CONFIRMED THE LOWER ALT. FIXES: WHEN LNDG AT AN ARPT WHERE BAD WX OR WHEN UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES EXIST (IE, PERFORMANCE PROB), GET TERMINAL WX EARLY AND COMPLETE COMPUTATIONS AND PREPARATIONS BEFORE DSCNT FROM CRUISE. THIS WILL ALLOW BOTH PLTS TO LISTEN ON THE RADIO TO CATCH MISTAKES DURING HIGH VOLUME, BUSY AND STRESSFUL ARRS.

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.