FLC DSNDS BELOW ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative

ON THE NIGHT OF MAR/XX/95 I WAS THE FE ABOARD ACR-X FLT XXX (DC-8) (SCHEDULED FROM ORD TO SDF). ON THIS NIGHT WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 6000 FT FROM 10000 FT BY STANDIFORD APCH CTL. DURING THE DSCNT THE CAPT AND FO NOTED SEVERAL RAIN SHOWERS AND SOME LIGHTNING IN THE TERMINAL AREA. DURING THE DSCNT THE CAPT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TURNING ON THE RADAR AND TRYING TO DEPICT WX ON THE RADAR SCREEN. THE CAPT WAS THE PF. WHILE OBSERVING HIS ACTIONS I NOTED THE ACFT DSNDING THROUGH 6000 FT. I QUICKLY BROUGHT THIS TO HIS ATTN WHEN HE ARRESTED THE DSCNT AT 5600 FT. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC AND ATC DID NOT QUESTION OUR ALT. A BIG CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THIS EVENT WAS THE FACT WE WERE IN A NON-STANDARD ACFT THIS NIGHT. ALL ACFT IN OUR DC-8 FLEET ARE EFIS EQUIPPED WITH AUTO ALT CAPTURE ON THE AUTOPLT; EXCEPT FOR 3 LEASED ACFT; THAT ARE ALL NON-STANDARD; AND ANALOG DISPLAY. PLUS THE FAILURE OF THE CAPT TO DELEGATE EITHER FLYING OR RADAR. HOWEVER IT WAS VFR AND THE RADAR CTL WAS ON HIS SIDE. I BELIEVE HE FELT NO NEED THAT IT WOULD BE AN EASY TASK TO TUNE UP THE RADAR BEFORE THE LEVEL OFF. IN THE EFIS ACFT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN: IN A NON-STANDARD ACFT IT IS NOT.