B737-500 crew had altitude deviation in ZLA class east airspace.

Attributes
ACN	502370
Time
Date	200102
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : trm.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-500
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	502370
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude cabin event : passenger misconduct non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Cabin Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route lax-psp at 17000 ft IMC, just advised of probable holding over trm VOR. We were given clearance to descend to 15000 ft. Captain was PF, and failed to command autoplt to descend until after ATC queried us about 2 mins later. There was no conflict with other aircraft that we know of. Contributing factors included an irate passenger in coach that caused the flight attendants to continue calling the cockpit. This was our 4TH leg of the day (out of 6 total) and we had been solid IMC all day with many unusual clrncs/rertes due to lax landing east instead of west, my lack of experience in a glass cockpit, work overload for a 2-MAN crew! The obvious solution to this problem (other than returning to a 3-MAN cockpit crew set-up) is to always remember to aviate first -- everything else is secondary.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-500 CREW HAD ALTDEV IN ZLA CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ENRTE LAX-PSP AT 17000 FT IMC, JUST ADVISED OF PROBABLE HOLDING OVER TRM VOR. WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO DSND TO 15000 FT. CAPT WAS PF, AND FAILED TO COMMAND AUTOPLT TO DSND UNTIL AFTER ATC QUERIED US ABOUT 2 MINS LATER. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT THAT WE KNOW OF. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDED AN IRATE PAX IN COACH THAT CAUSED THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO CONTINUE CALLING THE COCKPIT. THIS WAS OUR 4TH LEG OF THE DAY (OUT OF 6 TOTAL) AND WE HAD BEEN SOLID IMC ALL DAY WITH MANY UNUSUAL CLRNCS/RERTES DUE TO LAX LNDG E INSTEAD OF W, MY LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN A GLASS COCKPIT, WORK OVERLOAD FOR A 2-MAN CREW! THE OBVIOUS SOLUTION TO THIS PROB (OTHER THAN RETURNING TO A 3-MAN COCKPIT CREW SET-UP) IS TO ALWAYS REMEMBER TO AVIATE FIRST -- EVERYTHING ELSE IS SECONDARY.

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.