Narrative:

On deadhead return to apa, I was using the opportunity of the empty leg for training/practice of the sic who was the PF. On handoff to den approach, I requested a full ILS approach to apa. Advised by controller of opposite direction to landing traffic, and that it would require VFR, to which I acknowledged this would be ok. At this point, I believe the sic thought we were now VFR and thought he could descend. He was in the middle of briefing the approach and I had asked a question regarding same and he was searching for the answer. During the previous few mins, the controller pointed out traffic, a navajo, to which I responded 'looking.' I did find the target almost immediately, and confirmed it on TCASII. I did not get that reported to ATC, primarily due to frequency congestion. We descended through approximately 14500 ft when center called advising of altitude. Most of this time I was maintaining an outside vigil for traffic and tracking the navajo. I immediately stopped the descent and maintained 14500 ft and talked to center. The primary cause of the excursion was probably a combination of pilot overload and unclr communication with center, primarily by me. The pilot overload I refer to is with regards to the sic and in a normal situation with a qualified captain I am sure this would not have happened. As PIC, I was solely responsible for all actions -- his and mine -- and I should have been more vigilant on monitoring his flying and been able to correct his sooner. Although I think that allowing a trainee to go farther in a mistake than would be allowed in a non training flight, is helpful to them to discovering mistakes on their own, I need to be more active in directing them. I only conduct this type of training flight in good WX on flts without passenger.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE20 CREW MISINTERPED CLRNC AND DSNDED 500 FT BELOW ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ON DEADHEAD RETURN TO APA, I WAS USING THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE EMPTY LEG FOR TRAINING/PRACTICE OF THE SIC WHO WAS THE PF. ON HDOF TO DEN APCH, I REQUESTED A FULL ILS APCH TO APA. ADVISED BY CTLR OF OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO LNDG TFC, AND THAT IT WOULD REQUIRE VFR, TO WHICH I ACKNOWLEDGED THIS WOULD BE OK. AT THIS POINT, I BELIEVE THE SIC THOUGHT WE WERE NOW VFR AND THOUGHT HE COULD DSND. HE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF BRIEFING THE APCH AND I HAD ASKED A QUESTION REGARDING SAME AND HE WAS SEARCHING FOR THE ANSWER. DURING THE PREVIOUS FEW MINS, THE CTLR POINTED OUT TFC, A NAVAJO, TO WHICH I RESPONDED 'LOOKING.' I DID FIND THE TARGET ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, AND CONFIRMED IT ON TCASII. I DID NOT GET THAT RPTED TO ATC, PRIMARILY DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION. WE DSNDED THROUGH APPROX 14500 FT WHEN CTR CALLED ADVISING OF ALT. MOST OF THIS TIME I WAS MAINTAINING AN OUTSIDE VIGIL FOR TFC AND TRACKING THE NAVAJO. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE DSCNT AND MAINTAINED 14500 FT AND TALKED TO CTR. THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THE EXCURSION WAS PROBABLY A COMBINATION OF PLT OVERLOAD AND UNCLR COM WITH CTR, PRIMARILY BY ME. THE PLT OVERLOAD I REFER TO IS WITH REGARDS TO THE SIC AND IN A NORMAL SIT WITH A QUALIFIED CAPT I AM SURE THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. AS PIC, I WAS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL ACTIONS -- HIS AND MINE -- AND I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE VIGILANT ON MONITORING HIS FLYING AND BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT HIS SOONER. ALTHOUGH I THINK THAT ALLOWING A TRAINEE TO GO FARTHER IN A MISTAKE THAN WOULD BE ALLOWED IN A NON TRAINING FLT, IS HELPFUL TO THEM TO DISCOVERING MISTAKES ON THEIR OWN, I NEED TO BE MORE ACTIVE IN DIRECTING THEM. I ONLY CONDUCT THIS TYPE OF TRAINING FLT IN GOOD WX ON FLTS WITHOUT PAX.

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.