B737-800
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 482; Flight Crew Type 18000
Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Undershoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; Flight Crew FLC Overrode Automation; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Airspace Structure; Procedure; Human Factors
I will begin by affirming that the Buck stops with me and I failed to monitor the automation and Pilot Flying (PF) as necessary. We debriefed each other and both agree on what happened and how to ensure it doesn't again. I did check many of the factors squares and even though items I will mention did not cause our altitude deviation they were factors and will continue to only get worse as the airspace environment becomes more congested and automated. It is time to address them. Now to back up; this was our first pairing together; on the last leg of our two-day trip. On day one we meshed well but both had a terrible night sleeping due to the hotel having aircraft issues and the individual aircraft units in each room failed to allow for a comfortable rest environment. On the van ride to the airport for day two I called the Chief Pilot on Call to let him know that no Crews needed to be in that hotel on the inoperative aircraft floors. Both the First Officer (FO) and I discussed that this was close to requiring a fatigue call; but an easy day on paper with mostly good weather and a modest 11 hours of duty to fly two legs seemed to be reasonable. In hindsight it could have been a contributing factor on this last leg. Now to the story. Some factors that the Company has failed to address were additives. 1) Flying an -800 that has yet to have the hot MIC COMM panel mode; thus complicating Pilot to Pilot interphone communication when keying the MIC for radio transmissions. 2) Failure by the Company to activate auto weather updates via ACARS. 3) Failure to allow ACARS usage by both MCDU's simultaneously. 4) Failure of company to keep MCDU keys clean and readable. 5) Printers so we don't have to be heads down so much in a dynamic situation copying information to another piece of paper all the while tying up the only device we have to communicate digitally with the ground.Enroute I attempted to get current ATIS but alas the reported weather was well over one hour old. Descending via the arrival we were told to expect holding due to weather near the field with an EFC 25 minutes in the future. Slowly descending in the hold one to two thousand feet at a time the EFC was amended for a bit over an hour. Fuel was still good but it was time to check out further options. ZZZ failed to keep the ATIS current so we had no idea about what to expect nearer the field. Weather was clear in our area but two cells were causing delays nearer the airport. Our alts were ZZZ 1 and ZZZ 2 so as I tried in vain to receive current ZZZ ATIS (they were not keeping it current) and for other nearby airports; and communicate with Dispatch; flight attendants and passengers; my head was down off and on for longer than necessary. A current ATIS was requested five times; still to come back as well over one hour old and the several dispatch messages (dirty keys hard to read) required time to type with my head way down as the setting sun was brutal with our continuous turning in the hold. During this descending time in the hold the FO was using VNAV as we expected to be cleared to further descend via once turned inbound as other aircraft were doing. Here is where we were caught off guard. ZZZZZ has an at or above 17;000 feet restriction so when I answered our next clearance of 16;000 feet the VNAV of course stopped at 17;000 feet. The correct 16;000 feet was set in the MCU and properly pointed and verbally noted but here we both failed to monitor and intervene. Shortly after the Center Controller said she needed us level 16;000 feet in a minute and half or less and that is when we both saw the aircraft level at 17;000 feet. At no time did she give a Traffic Alert or was TCAS conflict traffic observed. A lot was going on especially in our mildly fatigued state and the above-mentioned additives that should be corrected did not help either. A huge lesson was taught of always flying the aircraft first. There must be a better way; in this modern environment which requires several parties to kept in the loop communicating with a 30-year-old product; it needs to be examined for a better way. Finally; printers; Yes; they are expensive and don't enhance all situations but when time is tight it is ridiculous to be copying vital information down all the while tying up the only digital communication device we have.Preventative measures: Pay attention above all. Monitor automation at all times. I sincerely hope the above mentioned items will also get some much needed attention; mainly auto weather on the ACARS which would have not taken so much valuable attention to repeatedly request; allow us to be able to use both MCDU's to communicate with if necessary; keep MCDU keys clean (the makeup remover wipes in the hotel do a great job and I usually clean each bird I fly. This time I did not) and finally get the remaining -800's audio panel modified. I feel that many have slipped through the cracks and wonder if there is a log of which are left to do. We are the only employee group in the company whose office moves at high-speed and the way we have to communicate is a microphone and a 30-year-old technology small screen with alphanumeric keypad. The best possible equipment should be with those that have to make timely decisions but it isn't. Printers must be installed. Over the years I have sounded the alarm on several important safety issues only to have a flimsy excuse returned. I hope the message is heard this time and we can do as we say; safety first. I know many of you fly the line but I would be happy to discuss in person or over the phone what we are really going through out there on a daily basis and how the support we need to get our job done the way it is now required is not up to par.
[Report narrative contained no additional information.]
B737-800 flight crew reported aircraft leveled off 1;000 feet above selected altitude.