H25B crew descended below the published and cleared STAR altitude on the big sur 2 at sfo.

Attributes
ACN	504180
Time
Date	200103
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : menlo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	HS 125 Series 700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : big sur 2
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	504180
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On the bsr 2 arrival at sfo, I was cleared to cross menlo intersection at 10000 ft then descend to 6000 ft. After passing skunk intersection, 10 NM before menlo, copilot set 6000 ft in the altitude alerter. I began a descent to 6000 ft. At approximately 8000 ft, bay approach advised me that I was supposed to cross menlo at 10000 ft. He then told me to descend to 6000 ft. No further comments were made. I was flying with a new first officer, contract pilot, who was not very familiar on the arrival or the airplane, and was busy reviewing the 10000 ft approach checklist and did not verify his altitude select was made at the proper time. This incident may have been avoided if I had paid more attention to our positional awareness and left the checklist to a time when the workload was not so high.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: H25B CREW DSNDED BELOW THE PUBLISHED AND CLRED STAR ALT ON THE BIG SUR 2 AT SFO.

Narrative: ON THE BSR 2 ARR AT SFO, I WAS CLRED TO CROSS MENLO INTXN AT 10000 FT THEN DSND TO 6000 FT. AFTER PASSING SKUNK INTXN, 10 NM BEFORE MENLO, COPLT SET 6000 FT IN THE ALT ALERTER. I BEGAN A DSCNT TO 6000 FT. AT APPROX 8000 FT, BAY APCH ADVISED ME THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO CROSS MENLO AT 10000 FT. HE THEN TOLD ME TO DSND TO 6000 FT. NO FURTHER COMMENTS WERE MADE. I WAS FLYING WITH A NEW FO, CONTRACT PLT, WHO WAS NOT VERY FAMILIAR ON THE ARR OR THE AIRPLANE, AND WAS BUSY REVIEWING THE 10000 FT APCH CHKLIST AND DID NOT VERIFY HIS ALT SELECT WAS MADE AT THE PROPER TIME. THIS INCIDENT MAY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I HAD PAID MORE ATTN TO OUR POSITIONAL AWARENESS AND LEFT THE CHKLIST TO A TIME WHEN THE WORKLOAD WAS NOT SO HIGH.

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.