An air carrier crew failed to start its descent in time to make a crossing restr.

Attributes
ACN	336688
Time
Date	199605
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : col
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	336688
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Level at 13000 ft when ATC cleared us to cross ashley at 10000 ft. We entered the altitude in the FMC and flight control unit, but did not start down because the FMC said it was not time to. At this time the lead flight attendant came into the cockpit to make a logbook write-up. We became distracted while talking to her about the maintenance write-up and missed our computed descent point. ATC asked if we were going to make the altitude restr at ashley. There was no way we could make it, but we started down and stated to ATC that we would not cross at 10000 ft and asked what we could do to help them. ZNY said that there was no problem and the remainder of the flight was uneventful. Next time I will try to create a sterile cockpit environment sooner in the descent phase.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CREW FAILED TO START ITS DSCNT IN TIME TO MAKE A XING RESTR.

Narrative: LEVEL AT 13000 FT WHEN ATC CLRED US TO CROSS ASHLEY AT 10000 FT. WE ENTERED THE ALT IN THE FMC AND FLT CTL UNIT, BUT DID NOT START DOWN BECAUSE THE FMC SAID IT WAS NOT TIME TO. AT THIS TIME THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT CAME INTO THE COCKPIT TO MAKE A LOGBOOK WRITE-UP. WE BECAME DISTRACTED WHILE TALKING TO HER ABOUT THE MAINT WRITE-UP AND MISSED OUR COMPUTED DSCNT POINT. ATC ASKED IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE THE ALT RESTR AT ASHLEY. THERE WAS NO WAY WE COULD MAKE IT, BUT WE STARTED DOWN AND STATED TO ATC THAT WE WOULD NOT CROSS AT 10000 FT AND ASKED WHAT WE COULD DO TO HELP THEM. ZNY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO PROB AND THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. NEXT TIME I WILL TRY TO CREATE A STERILE COCKPIT ENVIRONMENT SOONER IN THE DSCNT PHASE.

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.