DESCENDING TO 16000'; AUTOPLT DID NOT CAPTURE AND FLT CREW PERMITTED ACFT TO DESCEND TO 15400'.

Narrative

WE WERE THE 5TH ACFT ON THE PROFILE DSCNT INTO DENVER. EVERYONE WAS WAITING AS LONG AS POSSIBLE TO DSND; SO AS TO AVOID TURB AND TO SAVE FUEL. THE CENTER STARTED TO HOLD THE ACFT IN FRONT OF US AND THEREFORE CANCELLED OUR PROFILE DSCNT. CENTER GAVE US DSCNTS 2000' AT A TIME. BECAUSE WE WERE LNDG AT A FEEDER ARPT; WE WERE GIVEN AN OFF COURSE VECTOR FOR DSCNT. AT APPROX 50 MI FROM OUR DEST WE WERE TOLD TO EXPEDITE A DSCNT TO 16000'. BECAUSE OF MOD TURB AND ICING IN THE CLOUDS WE WERE VERY BUSY TRYING TO MAINTAIN POWER FOR ANTI-ICING; SLOW FOR TURB; AND EXPEDITE OUR DSCNT. THE AUTOPLT DID NOT LEVEL OFF AT 16000'. I CAUGHT THE MISTAKE AND LEVELED AT 15400' AND BEGAN A CLIMB BACK TO 16000'. ABOUT THE TIME WE STARTED CLIMBING BACK TO 16000' THE CENTER CALLED AND ASKED OUR ALT. I SAID 16000. AFTER LNDG IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT I HAD MADE 2 ERRORS BESIDES DEVIATING FROM MY ASSIGNED ALT. THE 2 ADDITIONAL ERRORS WERE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE ALT DEVIATION. THE ADDITIONAL ERRORS REFLECT A FEELING AND SITUATION THAT IS VERY BAD. THEY SHOW HOW THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE AVIATION COMMUNITY AND THE FAA HAS DEGRADED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. THE FIRST OF THE TWO ADDITIONAL ERRORS WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY REPORTING THE ALT DEVIATION. THE SECOND WAS INCORRECTLY REPORTING MY ALT AS 16000'. THE REASON FOR THE 2 DECEPTIONS IS SIMPLE. IF ONE TELLS THE TRUTH; SOME FAA LAWYER WILL BE RIGHT THERE TO TRY AND TAKE YOUR LICENSE AWAY. ANYONE CAN MAKE A MISTAKE; BUT THE COVERING UP OF THAT MISTAKE CAN BE MORE DANGEROUS THAN THE MISTAKE ITSELF.