Altitude deviation crossing restr not met.

Attributes
ACN	299430
Time
Date	199503
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fpo
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fpo
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	299430
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 inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared to cross padus intersection at 4000 ft. Initiated descent when cleared from 14000 ft. Nearing padus, entered area of level 4-5 thunderstorms embedded in area of cumulus development. Had to slow descent rate in order to slow airspeed. Failed to properly recalculate distance to descend. Was distracted by need to deviate for WX and turbulence. Should have informed freeport approach of possible inability to meet crossing restr at first doubt. Arrived at 4000 ft 1 1/2 mi late. 1) I should have directed first officer to estimate altitude at fix. Instead I only expressed some concern to him. 2) first officer stated 'we can make it.' later discussion revealed he assumed I would push the nose down as 'everyone else would have.' had we communicated better with each other, my desire to keep airspeed at va hence slower descent, his assumption of what I might do we would have resolved the situation well before padus intersection.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV XING RESTR NOT MET.

Narrative: CLRED TO CROSS PADUS INTXN AT 4000 FT. INITIATED DSCNT WHEN CLRED FROM 14000 FT. NEARING PADUS, ENTERED AREA OF LEVEL 4-5 TSTMS EMBEDDED IN AREA OF CUMULUS DEVELOPMENT. HAD TO SLOW DSCNT RATE IN ORDER TO SLOW AIRSPD. FAILED TO PROPERLY RECALCULATE DISTANCE TO DSND. WAS DISTRACTED BY NEED TO DEVIATE FOR WX AND TURB. SHOULD HAVE INFORMED FREEPORT APCH OF POSSIBLE INABILITY TO MEET XING RESTR AT FIRST DOUBT. ARRIVED AT 4000 FT 1 1/2 MI LATE. 1) I SHOULD HAVE DIRECTED FO TO ESTIMATE ALT AT FIX. INSTEAD I ONLY EXPRESSED SOME CONCERN TO HIM. 2) FO STATED 'WE CAN MAKE IT.' LATER DISCUSSION REVEALED HE ASSUMED I WOULD PUSH THE NOSE DOWN AS 'EVERYONE ELSE WOULD HAVE.' HAD WE COMMUNICATED BETTER WITH EACH OTHER, MY DESIRE TO KEEP AIRSPD AT VA HENCE SLOWER DSCNT, HIS ASSUMPTION OF WHAT I MIGHT DO WE WOULD HAVE RESOLVED THE SIT WELL BEFORE PADUS INTXN.

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.