Narrative:

While at FL230 received clearance to cross avp at FL180. I set the VNAV which shortly captured. Informed center leaving FL230 to cross avp at FL180. Instructed copilot to obtain teb ATIS. Company pager went off leaving FL220 having VNAV cap and the outbnd course from avp set up I placed the pager on the avionic console and placed call to dispatch office. Shortly after found myself intercepting the outbnd course from avp, but at FL170. The controller inquired and I agreed and was assigned a lower altitude. I had placed my pager on the autoplt controller accidentally which disengaged the VNAV. Didn't inform my copilot to monitor the aircraft and placed my call. Need I say any more. Even if I hadn't accidentally placed the pager on the autoplt controller, I should not have called dispatch. Regardless, I should have kept my copilot informed of what I intended to do, or at least had him place the call, or waited until we landed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR PIC BECOMES DISTR WITH A PAGER AND IN DOING SO BUSTS HIS CROSSING RESTRICTION BY OVERSHOOTING ALT. DIRECTS FO TO COPY ATIS INSTEAD OF HAVING HIM WATCH THE ACFT.

Narrative: WHILE AT FL230 RECEIVED CLRNC TO CROSS AVP AT FL180. I SET THE VNAV WHICH SHORTLY CAPTURED. INFORMED CENTER LEAVING FL230 TO CROSS AVP AT FL180. INSTRUCTED COPLT TO OBTAIN TEB ATIS. COMPANY PAGER WENT OFF LEAVING FL220 HAVING VNAV CAP AND THE OUTBND COURSE FROM AVP SET UP I PLACED THE PAGER ON THE AVIONIC CONSOLE AND PLACED CALL TO DISPATCH OFFICE. SHORTLY AFTER FOUND MYSELF INTERCEPTING THE OUTBND COURSE FROM AVP, BUT AT FL170. THE CTLR INQUIRED AND I AGREED AND WAS ASSIGNED A LOWER ALT. I HAD PLACED MY PAGER ON THE AUTOPLT CTLR ACCIDENTALLY WHICH DISENGAGED THE VNAV. DIDN'T INFORM MY COPLT TO MONITOR THE ACFT AND PLACED MY CALL. NEED I SAY ANY MORE. EVEN IF I HADN'T ACCIDENTALLY PLACED THE PAGER ON THE AUTOPLT CTLR, I SHOULD NOT HAVE CALLED DISPATCH. REGARDLESS, I SHOULD HAVE KEPT MY COPLT INFORMED OF WHAT I INTENDED TO DO, OR AT LEAST HAD HIM PLACE THE CALL, OR WAITED UNTIL WE LANDED.

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.