An E120 crew on approach to iah overshot assigned altitude, deviated from assigned heading.

Attributes
ACN	541030
Time
Date	200203
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2600 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 1725 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	541030
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
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:

First officer was PF from epd to iah. We were stable at 3000 ft on a heading of 100 degrees vectored by houston approach for the ILS runway 27. ATC advised us to slow from 230 KTS to 180 KTS and turn left to a heading of 280 degrees to intercept the localizer inbound. Assigned altitude was 3000 ft. First officer complied by reducing power and initiating a left turn. (Autoplt was off for this flight by first officer's choice.) I doublechked landing speeds, and ATIS information on data cards. While looking at this information, I heard the altitude alert sound a warning. I looked to see us in a 34 degree left bank with nose down approximately 8-9 degrees. Altitude was rapidly decreasing past 2600 ft. I loudly stated 'check altitude.' first officer responded with 'ok...correcting,' but made no move. It appeared the first officer was not moving. I announced again 'altitude!' and moved the yoke towards wing level and nose up. Flight director showed first officer flying away from desired path. At leveloff our altitude was then 2000 ft. I contacted ATC and advised that we could climb if ATC so desired. ATC advised that altitude was fine and to slow 180 KTS. We continued approach and landed without further incident. First officer apologized and stated 'I don't know what happened back there.' I believe the first officer became disoriented while in the turn and failed to understand or respond to the situation. I should have taken the yoke immediately at the first challenge. Total time start to finish approximately 20-25 seconds.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN E120 CREW ON APCH TO IAH OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT, DEVIATED FROM ASSIGNED HDG.

Narrative: FO WAS PF FROM EPD TO IAH. WE WERE STABLE AT 3000 FT ON A HDG OF 100 DEGS VECTORED BY HOUSTON APCH FOR THE ILS RWY 27. ATC ADVISED US TO SLOW FROM 230 KTS TO 180 KTS AND TURN L TO A HDG OF 280 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE LOC INBOUND. ASSIGNED ALT WAS 3000 FT. FO COMPLIED BY REDUCING PWR AND INITIATING A L TURN. (AUTOPLT WAS OFF FOR THIS FLT BY FO'S CHOICE.) I DOUBLECHKED LNDG SPDS, AND ATIS INFO ON DATA CARDS. WHILE LOOKING AT THIS INFO, I HEARD THE ALT ALERT SOUND A WARNING. I LOOKED TO SEE US IN A 34 DEG L BANK WITH NOSE DOWN APPROX 8-9 DEGS. ALT WAS RAPIDLY DECREASING PAST 2600 FT. I LOUDLY STATED 'CHK ALT.' FO RESPONDED WITH 'OK...CORRECTING,' BUT MADE NO MOVE. IT APPEARED THE FO WAS NOT MOVING. I ANNOUNCED AGAIN 'ALT!' AND MOVED THE YOKE TOWARDS WING LEVEL AND NOSE UP. FLT DIRECTOR SHOWED FO FLYING AWAY FROM DESIRED PATH. AT LEVELOFF OUR ALT WAS THEN 2000 FT. I CONTACTED ATC AND ADVISED THAT WE COULD CLB IF ATC SO DESIRED. ATC ADVISED THAT ALT WAS FINE AND TO SLOW 180 KTS. WE CONTINUED APCH AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. FO APOLOGIZED AND STATED 'I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED BACK THERE.' I BELIEVE THE FO BECAME DISORIENTED WHILE IN THE TURN AND FAILED TO UNDERSTAND OR RESPOND TO THE SIT. I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE YOKE IMMEDIATELY AT THE FIRST CHALLENGE. TOTAL TIME START TO FINISH APPROX 20-25 SECONDS.

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.