FO OF A B727-200 OVERSHOT ALT DURING DSCNT DUE TO A HIGH RATE OF DSCNT AND NOT ARRESTING IT IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO LEVEL OFF AT ASSIGNED ALT. THE CAPT TOOK OVER TO STOP THE DSCNT AND THE FO RETURNED THE ACFT TO ASSIGNED ALT.

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WESTMINSTER 3 ARR (MGW.EMI 3) BTWN MORGANTOWN VOR AND LIZIO INTXN. I WAS THE PF. CTR GAVE US A XING RESTR OF FL250 AT LIZIO. WE HAD PREDICTED TAILWINDS OF 120 KTS. MY TOTAL TIME IN TYPE IS APPROX 150 HRS. SCENARIO: DSNDING OUT OF ALT; I GOT BEHIND MY PROFILE FROM HIGH TAILWINDS AND ATTEMPTING TO FINISH THE DSCNT CHKLIST. NOTING I WAS BEHIND; I INCREASED MY DSCNT RATE TO APPROX 6000 FPM. I DID MAKE THE XING RESTR. I TRIED TO USE THE AUTOPLT TO LEVEL OFF. THE AUTOPLT DID NOT CHANGE PITCH ATTITUDE FAST ENOUGH TO STOP AT FL250. AT FL247 I CLICKED OFF THE AUTOPLT AND HAND FLEW IT BACK TO FL250. I WENT THROUGH FL245 BEFORE STOPPING DSCNT. PREVENTION: 1) INSTEAD OF ADDING AN ADDITIONAL 5 MI TO DSND; I COULD HAVE ADDED 10 MI. 2) 'FLY THE AIRPLANE FIRST.' DO THE CHKLISTS SECOND. 3) WHEN USING A MAX RATE OF DSCNT (6000 FPM) DON'T USE THE AUTOPLT FOR LEVELOFF. 4) STAY ALERT WHEN FLYING ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE CLOCK. 5) ASK FOR A COUPLE OF MI ON THE OTHER SIDE BEFORE GOING TO MAX RATES OF DSCNT. 6) MORE EXPERIENCE IN TYPE WILL HELP WITH MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE B727. HINDSIGHT: I AM GLAD THAT I LEARNED THIS LESSON AT FL250 AND NOT AT 5000 FT. STAY WELL AHEAD OF THE DSCNT PROFILE. IF I GET BEHIND PROFILE; STOP THE CHKLISTS AND FLY THE AIRPLANE.