CRJ200 flight crew has an altitude deviation during approach to pit.

Attributes
ACN	723888
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 200 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	723888
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On vectors to final; ATC gave us a heading and altitude to maintain until intercepting the approach and cleared us for the approach. I used the annunciations on the pfd to make my readback. The altitude was selected to 3000 ft. The correct heading was under the bug. Localizer and GS were armed and the autoplt was armed. Since all was in order; I looked at my charts for tower frequency and dialed it in. We were coming out of the clouds; so I looked out for the runway. It wasn't in sight; but we seemed to be low. I got a call from approach that we were to 'maintain 3000 ft until established.' I looked at the altitude selector and it now read 2000 ft. We were 2400 ft. We climbed up and landed without incident. My first officer admitted that he thought he heard '2000 ft until established' and without verifying with me put it in the selector. This was clearly a deviation of company procedures.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ200 FLT CREW HAS AN ALTDEV DURING APCH TO PIT.

Narrative: ON VECTORS TO FINAL; ATC GAVE US A HDG AND ALT TO MAINTAIN UNTIL INTERCEPTING THE APCH AND CLRED US FOR THE APCH. I USED THE ANNUNCIATIONS ON THE PFD TO MAKE MY READBACK. THE ALT WAS SELECTED TO 3000 FT. THE CORRECT HDG WAS UNDER THE BUG. LOC AND GS WERE ARMED AND THE AUTOPLT WAS ARMED. SINCE ALL WAS IN ORDER; I LOOKED AT MY CHARTS FOR TWR FREQ AND DIALED IT IN. WE WERE COMING OUT OF THE CLOUDS; SO I LOOKED OUT FOR THE RWY. IT WASN'T IN SIGHT; BUT WE SEEMED TO BE LOW. I GOT A CALL FROM APCH THAT WE WERE TO 'MAINTAIN 3000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED.' I LOOKED AT THE ALT SELECTOR AND IT NOW READ 2000 FT. WE WERE 2400 FT. WE CLBED UP AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. MY FO ADMITTED THAT HE THOUGHT HE HEARD '2000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED' AND WITHOUT VERIFYING WITH ME PUT IT IN THE SELECTOR. THIS WAS CLRLY A DEV OF COMPANY PROCS.

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.