DC9 crew had altitude overshoot in D21 class east airspace.

Attributes
ACN	489564
Time
Date	200010
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11600 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d21.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors arrival star : mizar
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 210
ASRS Report	489564
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : altitude alert other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on mizar arrival dtw, we were vectored off the arrival. Several vectors and uncommon altitudes including many airspeed assignments. We normally get FL240 then 12000 ft at mizar. We were given FL240, FL220, FL200, 16000 ft, 12000 ft, airspeed 535 KTS, 310 KTS, 290 KTS, and get down out of 16000 ft as fast as we could get down as well as a tight right turn and eastbound vector to rejoin the arrival. Many tasks during critical phase of arrival. I felt like a helicopter. We were given 12000 ft, tight right turn, and told to keep it tight, get down fast, maintain 310 KTS. Task saturated, blew through 12000 ft. At 11600 ft controller told us to maintain 11000 ft. No conflict and we were handed off to next controller. Captain and I discovered our altitude bust with horn and new altitude by controller. I should have taken control over airplane and told controller we could not make his request. My perception was that I could accommodate the controller, but there was just too many altitudes, vectors and airspeed requests to get down. I had to take it off autoplt to try and accommodate all the requests. The DC9 also does not have automatic altitude leveloff on the autoplt. I was very disappointed in myself for busting my altitude and I should have told the controller we need more time and room!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CREW HAD ALT OVERSHOOT IN D21 CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WHILE ON MIZAR ARR DTW, WE WERE VECTORED OFF THE ARR. SEVERAL VECTORS AND UNCOMMON ALTS INCLUDING MANY AIRSPD ASSIGNMENTS. WE NORMALLY GET FL240 THEN 12000 FT AT MIZAR. WE WERE GIVEN FL240, FL220, FL200, 16000 FT, 12000 FT, AIRSPD 535 KTS, 310 KTS, 290 KTS, AND GET DOWN OUT OF 16000 FT AS FAST AS WE COULD GET DOWN AS WELL AS A TIGHT R TURN AND EBOUND VECTOR TO REJOIN THE ARR. MANY TASKS DURING CRITICAL PHASE OF ARR. I FELT LIKE A HELI. WE WERE GIVEN 12000 FT, TIGHT R TURN, AND TOLD TO KEEP IT TIGHT, GET DOWN FAST, MAINTAIN 310 KTS. TASK SATURATED, BLEW THROUGH 12000 FT. AT 11600 FT CTLR TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 11000 FT. NO CONFLICT AND WE WERE HANDED OFF TO NEXT CTLR. CAPT AND I DISCOVERED OUR ALT BUST WITH HORN AND NEW ALT BY CTLR. I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CTL OVER AIRPLANE AND TOLD CTLR WE COULD NOT MAKE HIS REQUEST. MY PERCEPTION WAS THAT I COULD ACCOMMODATE THE CTLR, BUT THERE WAS JUST TOO MANY ALTS, VECTORS AND AIRSPD REQUESTS TO GET DOWN. I HAD TO TAKE IT OFF AUTOPLT TO TRY AND ACCOMMODATE ALL THE REQUESTS. THE DC9 ALSO DOES NOT HAVE AUTOMATIC ALT LEVELOFF ON THE AUTOPLT. I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED IN MYSELF FOR BUSTING MY ALT AND I SHOULD HAVE TOLD THE CTLR WE NEED MORE TIME AND ROOM!

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.