Medium large transport delayed beginning descent.

Attributes
ACN	105177
Time
Date	198902
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ott
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 26000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 215
ASRS Report	105177
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ZDC (120.37) had given us a clearance to descend from FL260 to FL240. The captain was flying using the pms on the medium large transport (performance management system) to begin the descent. He tried for 5 minutes to get the pms to descend to the proper altitude with no avail. ZDC then came over the air in a loud voice and stated to descend immediately to FL240. The captain then initiated the descent using the autoplt instead of the pms. Nothing was ever stated from center about the reason for the immediate descent call; but the tone of his voice indicated he was angry or concerned? I'm guessing the reason was, that it took us so long to begin our descent he may have had a conflict of airpaths.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG DELAYED BEGINNING DESCENT.

Narrative: ZDC (120.37) HAD GIVEN US A CLRNC TO DSND FROM FL260 TO FL240. THE CAPT WAS FLYING USING THE PMS ON THE MLG (PERFORMANCE MGMNT SYS) TO BEGIN THE DSCNT. HE TRIED FOR 5 MINUTES TO GET THE PMS TO DSND TO THE PROPER ALT WITH NO AVAIL. ZDC THEN CAME OVER THE AIR IN A LOUD VOICE AND STATED TO DSND IMMEDIATELY TO FL240. THE CAPT THEN INITIATED THE DSCNT USING THE AUTOPLT INSTEAD OF THE PMS. NOTHING WAS EVER STATED FROM CENTER ABOUT THE REASON FOR THE IMMEDIATE DSCNT CALL; BUT THE TONE OF HIS VOICE INDICATED HE WAS ANGRY OR CONCERNED? I'M GUESSING THE REASON WAS, THAT IT TOOK US SO LONG TO BEGIN OUR DSCNT HE MAY HAVE HAD A CONFLICT OF AIRPATHS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.