Air carrier flight with FAA on board. Captain picks up phone from cabin attendant while in sterile c...

Attributes
ACN	209773
Time
Date	199205
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah tower : aus
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15700 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	209773
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Descending into iah. Was about 8-10000 ft 25-30 mi northwest of iah. FAA was on board to check crew from okc-iah. Forward flight attendant cockpit to cabin communication was inoperative. Flight attendant went to rear to call me not noticing sterile cockpit light was on. She rang me and I just picked up the hand set forgetting we were in sterile period. WX was very good no ceiling or clouds visibility was 30 mi plus.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT WITH FAA ON BOARD. CAPT PICKS UP PHONE FROM CAB WHILE IN STERILE COCKPIT CONDITIONS.

Narrative: DSNDING INTO IAH. WAS ABOUT 8-10000 FT 25-30 MI NW OF IAH. FAA WAS ON BOARD TO CHK CREW FROM OKC-IAH. FORWARD FLT ATTENDANT COCKPIT TO CABIN COM WAS INOP. FLT ATTENDANT WENT TO REAR TO CALL ME NOT NOTICING STERILE COCKPIT LIGHT WAS ON. SHE RANG ME AND I JUST PICKED UP THE HAND SET FORGETTING WE WERE IN STERILE PERIOD. WX WAS VERY GOOD NO CEILING OR CLOUDS VISIBILITY WAS 30 MI PLUS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.

Air carrier flight with FAA on board. Captain picks up phone from cabin attendant while in sterile cockpit conditions.