Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Aircraft; Human Factors
While level at 6;000 Approach issued a descent to 5;000 FT. 5;000 was entered into the altitude selector and verified by both pilots; vertical speed -1;000 was selected. While discussing the arrival...; ATC asked us to state our altitude and why we were climbing. When we looked at the altitude we were at 6;500 FT. I immediately got the airplane down to the new assigned altitude of 5;000 FT. The main threat for this approach was that they were using the...visual to [Runway] 29; which neither the pilot not flying or pilot flying had done in several months; so while discussing the arrival we got off on altitude. We were also in between scattered layers of clouds and continuous light to moderate chop.It would have been wise to actually ensure that the aircraft was descending to the selected altitude before returning to the arrival briefing. Even though the instrumentation showed 5;000 set and vertical speed -1;000 selected we should have actually ensured that the aircraft was in the descent.
[Report narrative contained no additional information.]
Given a clearance to descend; EMB-145 flight crew entered the descent altitude and set 1;000 FPM descent rate in FMS. As the crew briefed the approach; ATC alerted them to the fact that the aircraft was climbing.