Commuter flight crew fails to start descent when cleared.

Attributes
ACN	263408
Time
Date	199402
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : wri
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : wri
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 : 4500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	263408
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were en route to phl from pvd. We had been assigned 7000 ft by mcguire approach. We were then assigned 4000 ft. We continued to cruise at 7000 ft for several mins. Mcguire then questioned us as to our altitude. At this time we quickly began our descent. 2 factors I felt played a part in this situation. 1) this was the 6TH leg of a 12 1/2 hour duty day (on duty approximately 10 hours at this point) and obviously our situational awareness was quite dull. 2) the radios in this aircraft were of poor quality. There was no side tone. The PF could not hear the PNF transmit to ATC. This resulted in the flying pilot not being able to hear a clearance for a second time when it was repeated to ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER FLC FAILS TO START DSCNT WHEN CLRED.

Narrative: WE WERE ENRTE TO PHL FROM PVD. WE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED 7000 FT BY MCGUIRE APCH. WE WERE THEN ASSIGNED 4000 FT. WE CONTINUED TO CRUISE AT 7000 FT FOR SEVERAL MINS. MCGUIRE THEN QUESTIONED US AS TO OUR ALT. AT THIS TIME WE QUICKLY BEGAN OUR DSCNT. 2 FACTORS I FELT PLAYED A PART IN THIS SIT. 1) THIS WAS THE 6TH LEG OF A 12 1/2 HR DUTY DAY (ON DUTY APPROX 10 HRS AT THIS POINT) AND OBVIOUSLY OUR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WAS QUITE DULL. 2) THE RADIOS IN THIS ACFT WERE OF POOR QUALITY. THERE WAS NO SIDE TONE. THE PF COULD NOT HEAR THE PNF XMIT TO ATC. THIS RESULTED IN THE FLYING PLT NOT BEING ABLE TO HEAR A CLRNC FOR A SECOND TIME WHEN IT WAS REPEATED TO ATC.

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.