Delayed compliance with clearance.

Attributes
ACN	109249
Time
Date	198904
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 16000
ASRS Report	109249
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210
ASRS Report	109891
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

We were being vectored for an ILS to 4R at ord at 5000' MSL. A senior and very competent F/a entered our sterile cockpit. I assumed her presence meant she had an emergency of some kind. She said many of our passenger were missing connections at ord. I was confused by her presence, the missed connections and the fact that we were early. We were a little late complying with a turn and a descent. In the confusion I asked approach to verify both. This added to his irritation (understandably). The next time an F/a enters a sterile cockpit I will immediately ask if there is an emergency. This F/a missed our warning chime and would never have asked her questions if I started out telling her the cockpit was sterile. Supplemental information from acn 109891: ATC issued a heading change to 220 degrees. I reached to change the heading but selected the airspeed by mistake. The conversation between the captain and the F/a distracted me and I didn't recognize immediately that the aircraft's heading did not change. A descent was also issued to us that I did not hear at all. Thus we were late complying with both instructions. After landing we discovered that the F/a had missed the sterile warning.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DELAYED COMPLIANCE WITH CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR AN ILS TO 4R AT ORD AT 5000' MSL. A SENIOR AND VERY COMPETENT F/A ENTERED OUR STERILE COCKPIT. I ASSUMED HER PRESENCE MEANT SHE HAD AN EMER OF SOME KIND. SHE SAID MANY OF OUR PAX WERE MISSING CONNECTIONS AT ORD. I WAS CONFUSED BY HER PRESENCE, THE MISSED CONNECTIONS AND THE FACT THAT WE WERE EARLY. WE WERE A LITTLE LATE COMPLYING WITH A TURN AND A DSCNT. IN THE CONFUSION I ASKED APCH TO VERIFY BOTH. THIS ADDED TO HIS IRRITATION (UNDERSTANDABLY). THE NEXT TIME AN F/A ENTERS A STERILE COCKPIT I WILL IMMEDIATELY ASK IF THERE IS AN EMER. THIS F/A MISSED OUR WARNING CHIME AND WOULD NEVER HAVE ASKED HER QUESTIONS IF I STARTED OUT TELLING HER THE COCKPIT WAS STERILE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 109891: ATC ISSUED A HDG CHANGE TO 220 DEGS. I REACHED TO CHANGE THE HDG BUT SELECTED THE AIRSPD BY MISTAKE. THE CONVERSATION BTWN THE CAPT AND THE F/A DISTRACTED ME AND I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE IMMEDIATELY THAT THE ACFT'S HDG DID NOT CHANGE. A DSCNT WAS ALSO ISSUED TO US THAT I DID NOT HEAR AT ALL. THUS WE WERE LATE COMPLYING WITH BOTH INSTRUCTIONS. AFTER LNDG WE DISCOVERED THAT THE F/A HAD MISSED THE STERILE WARNING.

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.