Narrative:

I'm a new captain and on high minimums. I'm the PNF and we're inbound to sea. Sea WX is reported as low scattered to broken clouds, 6 mi visibility in light rain and zero temperature dewpoint spread. Because of the spread I chose to brief a CAT III autoland approach to allow us to go to CAT ii minimums. About 30 NM southeast of btg, ATC cleared us to descend to cross btg VOR at or below FL280 to maintain FL240 at our discretion. I armed FL240 on the flight guidance panel and the first officer confirmed the clearance. I became involved in the CAT III brief and failed to notice that we had not started a descent. About 9 DME southeast of btg, ZSE asked us if we were going to start down. We began an immediate descent, about 4500 FPM, and the altimeter was going through 29000 ft as the VOR needle swung over btg. I allowed myself to become distracted by the WX and the CAT III brief and was simply not monitoring what was going on with the airplane. My priorities needed review.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG FAILED TO MAKE XING RESTR RESULTING IN ATC INTERVENTION.

Narrative: I'M A NEW CAPT AND ON HIGH MINIMUMS. I'M THE PNF AND WE'RE INBOUND TO SEA. SEA WX IS RPTED AS LOW SCATTERED TO BROKEN CLOUDS, 6 MI VISIBILITY IN LIGHT RAIN AND ZERO TEMP DEWPOINT SPREAD. BECAUSE OF THE SPREAD I CHOSE TO BRIEF A CAT III AUTOLAND APCH TO ALLOW US TO GO TO CAT II MINIMUMS. ABOUT 30 NM SE OF BTG, ATC CLRED US TO DSND TO CROSS BTG VOR AT OR BELOW FL280 TO MAINTAIN FL240 AT OUR DISCRETION. I ARMED FL240 ON THE FLT GUIDANCE PANEL AND THE FO CONFIRMED THE CLRNC. I BECAME INVOLVED IN THE CAT III BRIEF AND FAILED TO NOTICE THAT WE HAD NOT STARTED A DSCNT. ABOUT 9 DME SE OF BTG, ZSE ASKED US IF WE WERE GOING TO START DOWN. WE BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT, ABOUT 4500 FPM, AND THE ALTIMETER WAS GOING THROUGH 29000 FT AS THE VOR NEEDLE SWUNG OVER BTG. I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME DISTRACTED BY THE WX AND THE CAT III BRIEF AND WAS SIMPLY NOT MONITORING WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE AIRPLANE. MY PRIORITIES NEEDED REVIEW.

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.