Narrative:

STAR was dylin 2 into ewr and ILS runway 4L. Had a good identify for the ILS; but flags in both locs. Queried ATC about status of ILS and were told we were first to have a problem. While troubleshooting the problem; and after a hectic late descent issued by ATC along dylin 2; I noticed we had descended to 1800 ft. We were assigned 2000 ft until established. We were continuing to descend and I called out 'two thousand; two thousand.' the first officer who was flying asked 'two thousand what?' I realized the problem and told him to climb and reset his altimeter to local altimeter setting 29.42 from 29.92. We ultimately had bottomed out at approximately 1700 ft. ATC called to alert us while we were correcting. Localizer on first officer side became usable at approximately 12 DME and on captain's side at approximately 10 DME. No idea what caused problem with localizer. Correct frequencys and good identify. Failure to reset altimeter at FL180 due to late descent clearance with associated radio calls notifying ATC of our inability to make somto at 11000-12000 ft. This; coupled with the localizer inoperative flags; added to the distrs. Fatigue also a factor. Captain and first officer were on airport standby and were 13 hours into duty day; running 2 hours behind schedule -- had a maintenance problem after pushout of rdu and returned to gate; and still had another leg to fly. Low experience level in cockpit. Captain's second trip off IOE less than 40 hours in type; and first officer with 130 or so hours in type believed we had somehow done something wrong with respect to localizer not operable. ATC made no further issue of altitude digression. Supplemental information from acn 650207: we were monitoring the VNAV during the descent and we did a descent checklist at FL240. In addition to the aggressive descent; there was icing. We advised the controllers we could not make their request and there was no problem with them. Also; we were told to capture a localizer we were not receiving -- when we leveled off.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMJ CREW DSNDED BELOW THE CLRNC ALT WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING A DELAYED EWR 4L LOC CAPTURE.

Narrative: STAR WAS DYLIN 2 INTO EWR AND ILS RWY 4L. HAD A GOOD IDENT FOR THE ILS; BUT FLAGS IN BOTH LOCS. QUERIED ATC ABOUT STATUS OF ILS AND WERE TOLD WE WERE FIRST TO HAVE A PROB. WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING THE PROB; AND AFTER A HECTIC LATE DSCNT ISSUED BY ATC ALONG DYLIN 2; I NOTICED WE HAD DSNDED TO 1800 FT. WE WERE ASSIGNED 2000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED. WE WERE CONTINUING TO DSND AND I CALLED OUT 'TWO THOUSAND; TWO THOUSAND.' THE FO WHO WAS FLYING ASKED 'TWO THOUSAND WHAT?' I REALIZED THE PROB AND TOLD HIM TO CLB AND RESET HIS ALTIMETER TO LCL ALTIMETER SETTING 29.42 FROM 29.92. WE ULTIMATELY HAD BOTTOMED OUT AT APPROX 1700 FT. ATC CALLED TO ALERT US WHILE WE WERE CORRECTING. LOC ON FO SIDE BECAME USABLE AT APPROX 12 DME AND ON CAPT'S SIDE AT APPROX 10 DME. NO IDEA WHAT CAUSED PROB WITH LOC. CORRECT FREQS AND GOOD IDENT. FAILURE TO RESET ALTIMETER AT FL180 DUE TO LATE DSCNT CLRNC WITH ASSOCIATED RADIO CALLS NOTIFYING ATC OF OUR INABILITY TO MAKE SOMTO AT 11000-12000 FT. THIS; COUPLED WITH THE LOC INOP FLAGS; ADDED TO THE DISTRS. FATIGUE ALSO A FACTOR. CAPT AND FO WERE ON ARPT STANDBY AND WERE 13 HRS INTO DUTY DAY; RUNNING 2 HRS BEHIND SCHEDULE -- HAD A MAINT PROB AFTER PUSHOUT OF RDU AND RETURNED TO GATE; AND STILL HAD ANOTHER LEG TO FLY. LOW EXPERIENCE LEVEL IN COCKPIT. CAPT'S SECOND TRIP OFF IOE LESS THAN 40 HRS IN TYPE; AND FO WITH 130 OR SO HRS IN TYPE BELIEVED WE HAD SOMEHOW DONE SOMETHING WRONG WITH RESPECT TO LOC NOT OPERABLE. ATC MADE NO FURTHER ISSUE OF ALT DIGRESSION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 650207: WE WERE MONITORING THE VNAV DURING THE DSCNT AND WE DID A DSCNT CHKLIST AT FL240. IN ADDITION TO THE AGGRESSIVE DSCNT; THERE WAS ICING. WE ADVISED THE CTLRS WE COULD NOT MAKE THEIR REQUEST AND THERE WAS NO PROB WITH THEM. ALSO; WE WERE TOLD TO CAPTURE A LOC WE WERE NOT RECEIVING -- WHEN WE LEVELED OFF.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.