Altitude overshot on descent when distracted looking for traffic and reducing IAS.

Attributes
ACN	89679
Time
Date	198806
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : top
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4700 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	89679
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 45 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I descended below assigned altitude by 300' operational error detection activated and loss of sep occurred. ATC had me landing at foe instead of top. ATC cleared me to 4000', then 5000' and reduce speed 50 KTS and look to follow traffic. While reducing speed and looking for traffic I was distracted momentarily. ATC should start speed reductions sooner and minimize pilot workload by assigning altitudes and not changing it right away.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OVERSHOT ON DESCENT WHEN DISTRACTED LOOKING FOR TRAFFIC AND REDUCING IAS.

Narrative: I DESCENDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT BY 300' OPERROR DETECTION ACTIVATED AND LOSS OF SEP OCCURRED. ATC HAD ME LNDG AT FOE INSTEAD OF TOP. ATC CLRED ME TO 4000', THEN 5000' AND REDUCE SPD 50 KTS AND LOOK TO FOLLOW TFC. WHILE REDUCING SPD AND LOOKING FOR TFC I WAS DISTRACTED MOMENTARILY. ATC SHOULD START SPD REDUCTIONS SOONER AND MINIMIZE PLT WORKLOAD BY ASSIGNING ALTS AND NOT CHANGING IT RIGHT AWAY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.