Altitude deviation altitude undershot during descent. Altitude crossing restr not met.

Attributes
ACN	295996
Time
Date	199502
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vhp
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid tower : ilm
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	295996
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ATC cleared our flight (which was cruising at FL290 to cross 10 NM southwest of vhp at FL240). Clearance was acknowledged by me and understood by first officer (PF). Since it was too soon to begin descent, I began writing up a problem in the aircraft maintenance log, and was brought back 'into the loop' by ZID controller asking if we were going to make our crossing restr. We were 15 mi southwest of vhp! We began an immediate descent and apologized for not starting down sooner. The first officer who was flying had also allowed his attention to be diverted and neglected to begin descent in time to make the crossing restr. The controller said it was not critical and that there was no conflicting traffic to worry about. In the future I will save the paper work for when the aircraft is on the ground and parked at the gate and will not be complacent that the other pilot will do exactly as I expect.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT UNDERSHOT DURING DSCNT. ALT XING RESTR NOT MET.

Narrative: ATC CLRED OUR FLT (WHICH WAS CRUISING AT FL290 TO CROSS 10 NM SW OF VHP AT FL240). CLRNC WAS ACKNOWLEDGED BY ME AND UNDERSTOOD BY FO (PF). SINCE IT WAS TOO SOON TO BEGIN DSCNT, I BEGAN WRITING UP A PROB IN THE ACFT MAINT LOG, AND WAS BROUGHT BACK 'INTO THE LOOP' BY ZID CTLR ASKING IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE OUR XING RESTR. WE WERE 15 MI SW OF VHP! WE BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT AND APOLOGIZED FOR NOT STARTING DOWN SOONER. THE FO WHO WAS FLYING HAD ALSO ALLOWED HIS ATTN TO BE DIVERTED AND NEGLECTED TO BEGIN DSCNT IN TIME TO MAKE THE XING RESTR. THE CTLR SAID IT WAS NOT CRITICAL AND THAT THERE WAS NO CONFLICTING TFC TO WORRY ABOUT. IN THE FUTURE I WILL SAVE THE PAPER WORK FOR WHEN THE ACFT IS ON THE GND AND PARKED AT THE GATE AND WILL NOT BE COMPLACENT THAT THE OTHER PLT WILL DO EXACTLY AS I EXPECT.

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.