FLC DSNDS THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative

WE WERE ON A FLT FROM E WASHINGTON TO BOEING FIELD. ATC GAVE US A DSCNT TO 10000 FT WHICH IS STANDARD ON WBOUND FLTS TO SEATTLE. I WAS THE PNF; SO IT WAS MY JOB TO RUN THE DSCNT CHKLIST; GET ATIS AND GIVE AN ARR RPT VIA THE RADIO TO THE MEDICAL DISPATCHER AT BFI. I ALSO HANDLED COM WITH ATC. BEFORE REACHING 10000 FT I WAS CALLED BY THE MEDICAL DISPATCHER; SO I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE WOULD COVER COM #1 WHICH WAS TUNED TO ATC. HE SAID THAT WOULD BE FINE. THE MEDICAL DISPATCHER INFORMED ME WE WOULD BE QUICK TURNED FOR ANOTHER AIRLIFT MISSION. WHEN I TUNED BACK TO ATC; I RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 10000 FT. THE CAPT SAID I CAN'T BELIEVE IT DID THAT! (HE HAD DSNDED TO 8800 FT.) WE THEN CLBED BACK TO 10000 FT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: WE WERE HELD AT 10000 FT MUCH LONGER THAN NORMAL AND COMPANY TFC WAS RIGHT AHEAD OF US AND THEY HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. WE BOTH HAD THE SAME CALL SIGN (XX AND THEY HAD XXA). ALSO; I WAS TALKING TO THE MEDICAL DISPATCHER AND DID NOT CALL 1000 FT ABOVE; 500 FT ABOVE AND SO ON. FACTORS AFFECTING PERFORMANCE: THE CAPT KNEW WE WOULD BE GIVEN A VISUAL CLRNC TO FOLLOW COMPANY TFC. IT WAS CLR AND WE WERE ON A HIGH; WIDE R DOWNWIND AND HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. IT WAS LATE AND THERE WAS LITTLE TFC. IN THE FUTURE WE COULD HAVE A POLICY TO GIVE OUR RPTS ONLY WHEN LEVEL AT AN ASSIGNED ALT.