B737 flight crew has altitude deviation during approach to dca.

Attributes
ACN	722952
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 30000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	722952
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	723434
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Misread step-down fix while on the VOR DME approach to runway 19 at dca during transition to visual conditions to land. This led to an early letdown from 1600 ft to 1000 ft. Crew fatigued. Night approach in WX and crew communication hampered by absurdly noisy windshield wipers in B737.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW HAS ALTDEV DURING APCH TO DCA.

Narrative: MISREAD STEP-DOWN FIX WHILE ON THE VOR DME APCH TO RWY 19 AT DCA DURING TRANSITION TO VISUAL CONDITIONS TO LAND. THIS LED TO AN EARLY LETDOWN FROM 1600 FT TO 1000 FT. CREW FATIGUED. NIGHT APCH IN WX AND CREW COM HAMPERED BY ABSURDLY NOISY WINDSHIELD WIPERS IN B737.

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.