A DSNDING DC9-30 FLC OVERSHOOTS THEIR ASSIGNED ALT OF 11000 FT WHEN DISTRACTED WITH FLT ATTENDANT IN COCKPIT 35 MI NW OF CLT; NC.

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ZTL GAVE US A CLRNC TO DSND TO 11000 FT 40 MI N OF CLT AT 250 KTS. CAPT WAS PF; HE BEGAN TO DSND AND CALLED FOR DSCNT CHK. AT THIS TIME FLT ATTENDANT CAME INTO COCKPIT (APPROX FL240 AT THIS TIME; SHE HAD A QUESTION FOR US). THROUGH 18000 FT WE SET LCL ALTIMETERS. AS PNF I BEGAN THE CHKLIST A LITTLE LATER THAN USUAL DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS ANSWERING FLT ATTENDANT'S QUESTION. FLT ATTENDANT LEFT COCKPIT; WE SWITCHED TO APCH AND COMPLETED THE CHKLIST. APPROX 30 SECONDS AFTER LEVELING AT 250 KTS CAPT NOTICED HE LEVELED AT 10000 FT INSTEAD OF 11000 FT (11000 FT WAS IN ALT WINDOW). HE IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO 11000 FT AT WHICH TIME APCH TOLD US TO DSND TO 7000 FT. NO WORD WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THE DEV BY ATC. I BELIEVE WE LOST ALT AWARENESS BECAUSE WE WERE PREOCCUPIED BY ANSWERING FLT ATTENDANT'S QUESTION AND COMPLETING THE DSCNT CHKLIST AT A LOWER THAN NORMAL ALT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 477202: COMBINATION OF WX AVOIDANCE AND EXTRA CONVERSATION IN COCKPIT DISTRACTED US SO THAT WE DIDN'T HEAR ALT WARNING HORN. DID PNF MAKE NORMAL CALLS? CTR SWITCHED US TO APCH CTL ABOUT THE SAME TIME.