MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Workload; Time Pressure; Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Human-Machine Interface
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Aircraft; Weather; Procedure; Manuals; Human Factors
Descending into DFW on the Jovem1 RNAV arrival (and 'descending via'); we were in icing conditions; retrieving a new ATIS; and then assigned Runway 36R (instead of 36L that we were set up for). Passing JOVEM (with a 12;000 foot restriction) I believe I set 11;000 for MSSLE intersection; but either set the wrong altitude; or bumped the setting down as I let go. Both the First Officer (FO) and I believe we pointed to the altitude alert button and said '11;000 and set;' but we were simultaneously switching iPad pages to set up the new ILS approach and coordinate it; and deciding to select the tail de-ice. I watched the aircraft level off through ALT CAP then ALT HOLD; but then ATC advised us we leveled off at the wrong altitude (10;000 instead of 11;000). We thought we were managing the automation; runway change; icing; and etc. fine until this notification.Fortunately there was no traffic conflict. ATC advised us to maintain 10;000; then gave further descent instructions as we proceeded for our approach. The workload for the 'descend via' in and MD80 is already high. Then we were given a runway change to load and brief. Icing and rapidly changing ATIS reports added to our workload. Finally; I'm not sure if the FO and I held hands on the altitude alert switch on this occasion or not; but several times we both tried to reset it; or neither of us did and we stared at each other until we realized who was supposed to do it. We are both trying hard to comply with the recent company procedure change; but many years of ingrained training is difficult to adjust in a short time. Also; I love the iPads; but sometimes it is an added workload to switch between pages at a critical time; where as in the paper chart days I could have had the arrival and the approach pages out at the same time. I'm not complaining here. I like the automation progress; and the FO and I both believed we were managing all the systems safely and adequately; but somehow the altitude setting slipped by us on this descend via clearance.
The Captain was flying the Jovem1 Arrival to DFW when we were surprised by a call from ATC stating that we leveled off 1;000 feet below our altitude; but not to worry 'no traffic issues' maintain 10;000. What??? The Captain and I were puzzled; looked at the altitude alerter; saw 10;000; looked at each other and agreed he had set 11;000. We knew this to be true because he set it; pointed at it; and vocalized he was setting 11;000 for MSSLE. I agreed and stated that 11;000 was good; all the way to SILER. No excuses for not catching the aircraft descending thru 11;000; but both of us find it hard to believe the alerter was set wrong; since we had the verbal exchange referenced above. Did the alerter jump a digit? Doesn't seem likely. Did the alerter get accidentally bumped? I can't imagine that happening. As to task loading that allowed the level-off to be missed: this was an unusual morning with freezing rain taking place at DFW; and the surprise of being assigned 36R as our landing runway merely a minute or so before this infraction took place. The Captain was in the process of changing the FMS; I was in the process of opening up the Jeppesen page for the unusual landing runway and resetting my nav instruments; we were on autopilot; and really thought we were on top of things.Once again; not making any excuses; but my observations are that the new altitude alerter setting procedure is causing some confusion in our MD80 cockpits that will take a bit of time to iron out. We've all been doing the same routine for a very long time and are expending a lot of mental energy right now with our attempts to overcome our old habits. It's one thing to say 'just whoever gets to the alerter knob first; set it;' but when we bump into each other; or worse yet; hesitate just long enough to ask yourself the question 'am I supposed to set it or him;' the smooth flow of operation is interrupted. Add to it the fact that we're still getting used to the increased workload the RNAV approaches have dropped on us. Yes; the new cockpit procedures will soon become routine; and yes the new RNAV approaches are becoming easier.We were lucky today that departure traffic was light.Lesson learned: even a simple 1;000 altitude change needs to be closely monitored for a successful capture!
An MD-80 flight crew inadvertently set a lower altitude than the one assigned and flew to the improper altitude. ATC noted the deviation and provided a new clearance. The reporters noted that the high workload on arrival prevented them from catching their error.