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

Attributes
ACN	314687
Time
Date	199509
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zdc
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	314687
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were given a clearance to cross 20 mi south of riccs intersection at FL240. We were unable to enter restr into FMC to establish a waypoint 20 mi south. We figured our descent via manual or traditional means. The captain said, 'we've got the restr made.' at this point the captain handed me some material he wanted me to read. What this accomplished, was taking me, the PNF, out of the loop. The next time I looked up we were passing through FL280 (4000 ft above crossing restr) over our crossing restr point. At the same time, ATC called and said, 'I guess you aren't going to make the restr.' nothing else was said. I couldn't tell you why the captain did not make the restr. I was completely out of the loop and distracted during a critical phase of flight. I was sucked hook, line, and sinker into this insidious situation, without a red light going off in my head. I suppose I relaxed my belief and practice of CRM, and put complete trust in my fellow crew member. The captain may have failed in his calculation of descent, but I failed in backing him up.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO CROSS 20 MI S OF RICCS INTXN AT FL240. WE WERE UNABLE TO ENTER RESTR INTO FMC TO ESTABLISH A WAYPOINT 20 MI S. WE FIGURED OUR DSCNT VIA MANUAL OR TRADITIONAL MEANS. THE CAPT SAID, 'WE'VE GOT THE RESTR MADE.' AT THIS POINT THE CAPT HANDED ME SOME MATERIAL HE WANTED ME TO READ. WHAT THIS ACCOMPLISHED, WAS TAKING ME, THE PNF, OUT OF THE LOOP. THE NEXT TIME I LOOKED UP WE WERE PASSING THROUGH FL280 (4000 FT ABOVE XING RESTR) OVER OUR XING RESTR POINT. AT THE SAME TIME, ATC CALLED AND SAID, 'I GUESS YOU AREN'T GOING TO MAKE THE RESTR.' NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID. I COULDN'T TELL YOU WHY THE CAPT DID NOT MAKE THE RESTR. I WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF THE LOOP AND DISTRACTED DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. I WAS SUCKED HOOK, LINE, AND SINKER INTO THIS INSIDIOUS SIT, WITHOUT A RED LIGHT GOING OFF IN MY HEAD. I SUPPOSE I RELAXED MY BELIEF AND PRACTICE OF CRM, AND PUT COMPLETE TRUST IN MY FELLOW CREW MEMBER. THE CAPT MAY HAVE FAILED IN HIS CALCULATION OF DSCNT, BUT I FAILED IN BACKING HIM UP.

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.