Widebody transport crew, descending into iad, overshot an assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	533134
Time
Date	200112
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : gil by
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : jasen
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	controller military : 7 controller radar : 16 controller supervisory : 2 flight time last 90 days : 83 flight time total : 6400 flight time type : 83
ASRS Report	533134
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was hand flying during descent into iad on the jasen arrival. No traffic, great visibility, no clouds. We were cleared direct gilby (on arrival) to cross at 6000 ft, which was set and verified in altitude window. This clearance was given further out than usual and I started a shallow descent. However, the published 'expect altitude' of 5000 ft at gilby was left in the FMC, so 5000 ft appeared on the navigation display underneath gilby. As I was finessing the shallow, power-on descent to cross at 6000 ft, I was focusing on the green arc on the navigation display and looking at gilby 5000 ft on the navigation display. At some point, I started thinking 5000 ft was assigned crossing altitude. Within a few mi of gilby, I went through 6000 ft. Soon thereafter, the captain called out 'altitude.' the altitude deviation alert sounded and I began smoothly correcting. ATC asked our altitude as we bottomed out about 5500 ft and quickly got back to 6000 ft. Fatigue may have been a contributing factor. I got up at XA30 for an XB25 show. Although I had enough sleep, just getting up that early leaves me a little out of sorts. I did feel tired during the flight, and during the long shallow descent, I think I became channelized on the navigation display.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB CREW, DSNDING INTO IAD, OVERSHOT AN ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: I WAS HAND FLYING DURING DSCNT INTO IAD ON THE JASEN ARR. NO TFC, GREAT VISIBILITY, NO CLOUDS. WE WERE CLRED DIRECT GILBY (ON ARR) TO CROSS AT 6000 FT, WHICH WAS SET AND VERIFIED IN ALT WINDOW. THIS CLRNC WAS GIVEN FURTHER OUT THAN USUAL AND I STARTED A SHALLOW DSCNT. HOWEVER, THE PUBLISHED 'EXPECT ALT' OF 5000 FT AT GILBY WAS LEFT IN THE FMC, SO 5000 FT APPEARED ON THE NAV DISPLAY UNDERNEATH GILBY. AS I WAS FINESSING THE SHALLOW, PWR-ON DSCNT TO CROSS AT 6000 FT, I WAS FOCUSING ON THE GREEN ARC ON THE NAV DISPLAY AND LOOKING AT GILBY 5000 FT ON THE NAV DISPLAY. AT SOME POINT, I STARTED THINKING 5000 FT WAS ASSIGNED XING ALT. WITHIN A FEW MI OF GILBY, I WENT THROUGH 6000 FT. SOON THEREAFTER, THE CAPT CALLED OUT 'ALT.' THE ALTDEV ALERT SOUNDED AND I BEGAN SMOOTHLY CORRECTING. ATC ASKED OUR ALT AS WE BOTTOMED OUT ABOUT 5500 FT AND QUICKLY GOT BACK TO 6000 FT. FATIGUE MAY HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. I GOT UP AT XA30 FOR AN XB25 SHOW. ALTHOUGH I HAD ENOUGH SLEEP, JUST GETTING UP THAT EARLY LEAVES ME A LITTLE OUT OF SORTS. I DID FEEL TIRED DURING THE FLT, AND DURING THE LONG SHALLOW DSCNT, I THINK I BECAME CHANNELIZED ON THE NAV DISPLAY.

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.