A B727 flight descends nearly 1000 ft below its assigned altitude 40 mi east of mgw, wv.

Attributes
ACN	504730
Time
Date	200103
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mgw.vortac
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	504730
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	504728
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Cabin Crew Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While descending to 15000 ft we descended to 14000 ft. Mistake was then caught by first officer. Just then given clearance to 11000 ft. The fix we were given 15000 ft was 14 mi from the VOR. I think through association I got 14000 ft in my thought process. There were distrs to include flight attendant and last min maintenance items. The variation in altitude was not brought up by ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 FLT DSNDS NEARLY 1000 FT BELOW ITS ASSIGNED ALT 40 MI E OF MGW, WV.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING TO 15000 FT WE DSNDED TO 14000 FT. MISTAKE WAS THEN CAUGHT BY FO. JUST THEN GIVEN CLRNC TO 11000 FT. THE FIX WE WERE GIVEN 15000 FT WAS 14 MI FROM THE VOR. I THINK THROUGH ASSOCIATION I GOT 14000 FT IN MY THOUGHT PROCESS. THERE WERE DISTRS TO INCLUDE FLT ATTENDANT AND LAST MIN MAINT ITEMS. THE VARIATION IN ALT WAS NOT BROUGHT UP BY ATC.

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.