Air carrier large transport altitude deviation undershot altitude crossing restriction not met.

Attributes
ACN	110275
Time
Date	198905
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ilm
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j174
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 525
ASRS Report	110275
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Large transport was cleared to descent to cross 35 mi southwest of ilm at FL260. After receiving clearance, one of flight attendant's came to cockpit to report a medical problem; a lady had swallowed some glass or china from her dinner plate. We proceeded to call company and secure a doctor to meet the flight. During these communications ZDC called and asked for our descent to FL260. First officer acknowledged that we couldn't make the crossing restriction. ZDC came back with another clearance that was complied with. Incident occurred because of the entire crew occupied with the medical emergency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT ALT DEVIATION UNDERSHOT ALT CROSSING RESTRICTION NOT MET.

Narrative: LGT WAS CLRED TO DSCNT TO CROSS 35 MI SW OF ILM AT FL260. AFTER RECEIVING CLRNC, ONE OF FA'S CAME TO COCKPIT TO RPT A MEDICAL PROB; A LADY HAD SWALLOWED SOME GLASS OR CHINA FROM HER DINNER PLATE. WE PROCEEDED TO CALL COMPANY AND SECURE A DOCTOR TO MEET THE FLT. DURING THESE COMS ZDC CALLED AND ASKED FOR OUR DSCNT TO FL260. FO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE COULDN'T MAKE THE XING RESTRICTION. ZDC CAME BACK WITH ANOTHER CLRNC THAT WAS COMPLIED WITH. INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THE ENTIRE CREW OCCUPIED WITH THE MEDICAL EMER.

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.