Narrative:

While en route to isp, got ACARS message to contact dispatch on arinc at about XB40Z. Were informed that runway lights to runway 6/24 at isp were OTS. Dispatch wanted to know if we could accept runway 15R/33L if necessary -- 5100 ft in length -- and possibly wet. I informed him that we could take runway 15R since winds from the southeast, but I was more concerned about approach since the XA50Z WX had 800 ft scattered and 10 mi for WX -- requiring a visual or circling approach, 1000/3. Just after XC00Z, got clearance to cross harty intersection at FL240. We were still about 65 mi away at FL270, so the first officer elected to delay descent for a few more mins. At XC05Z, requested and got the new isp WX via ACARS showing 800 ft broken and 10 mi as the WX now, which meant we did not have landing minimums for circling/visual approach and if the runway lights for runway 6/24 were not restored by our arrival time, a diversion to jfk would become necessary. My first officer and myself were discussing all the options and he was getting out his jfk charts, when ATC called up and said 'start your descent now and descend and maintain FL190.' I responded, repeated the clearance, and looked up to realize that we were over harty still at FL270. We started down at 3000 FPM, and I called back and said 'sorry about that.' the controller responded 'no problem.' J70-106 has an maa of FL240 east of stw, which was probably the reason for descent -- even though we were going direct lendy after stw. We passed stw below FL270 on the descent, with no conflicting traffic at either FL270 or FL240. Both forgot descent due to diversion discussion/plan. Crossed harty intersection at FL270, not FL240 as indicated in previous debrief. Our clearance was to cross at FL270. All other information in previous debrief correct. Subsequent phone conversation with mr X, ATC coordinator, indicated no ATC violation being filed by ZNY.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FK10 FLC FORGOT THEIR XING RESTR WHILE DISCUSSING A DIVERSION TO ANOTHER ARPT. THE ARTCC CTLR REMINDED THEM AS THEY CROSSED, STILL AT CRUISE ALT.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE TO ISP, GOT ACARS MESSAGE TO CONTACT DISPATCH ON ARINC AT ABOUT XB40Z. WERE INFORMED THAT RWY LIGHTS TO RWY 6/24 AT ISP WERE OTS. DISPATCH WANTED TO KNOW IF WE COULD ACCEPT RWY 15R/33L IF NECESSARY -- 5100 FT IN LENGTH -- AND POSSIBLY WET. I INFORMED HIM THAT WE COULD TAKE RWY 15R SINCE WINDS FROM THE SE, BUT I WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT APCH SINCE THE XA50Z WX HAD 800 FT SCATTERED AND 10 MI FOR WX -- REQUIRING A VISUAL OR CIRCLING APCH, 1000/3. JUST AFTER XC00Z, GOT CLRNC TO CROSS HARTY INTXN AT FL240. WE WERE STILL ABOUT 65 MI AWAY AT FL270, SO THE FO ELECTED TO DELAY DSCNT FOR A FEW MORE MINS. AT XC05Z, REQUESTED AND GOT THE NEW ISP WX VIA ACARS SHOWING 800 FT BROKEN AND 10 MI AS THE WX NOW, WHICH MEANT WE DID NOT HAVE LNDG MINIMUMS FOR CIRCLING/VISUAL APCH AND IF THE RWY LIGHTS FOR RWY 6/24 WERE NOT RESTORED BY OUR ARR TIME, A DIVERSION TO JFK WOULD BECOME NECESSARY. MY FO AND MYSELF WERE DISCUSSING ALL THE OPTIONS AND HE WAS GETTING OUT HIS JFK CHARTS, WHEN ATC CALLED UP AND SAID 'START YOUR DSCNT NOW AND DSND AND MAINTAIN FL190.' I RESPONDED, REPEATED THE CLRNC, AND LOOKED UP TO REALIZE THAT WE WERE OVER HARTY STILL AT FL270. WE STARTED DOWN AT 3000 FPM, AND I CALLED BACK AND SAID 'SORRY ABOUT THAT.' THE CTLR RESPONDED 'NO PROB.' J70-106 HAS AN MAA OF FL240 E OF STW, WHICH WAS PROBABLY THE REASON FOR DSCNT -- EVEN THOUGH WE WERE GOING DIRECT LENDY AFTER STW. WE PASSED STW BELOW FL270 ON THE DSCNT, WITH NO CONFLICTING TFC AT EITHER FL270 OR FL240. BOTH FORGOT DSCNT DUE TO DIVERSION DISCUSSION/PLAN. CROSSED HARTY INTXN AT FL270, NOT FL240 AS INDICATED IN PREVIOUS DEBRIEF. OUR CLRNC WAS TO CROSS AT FL270. ALL OTHER INFO IN PREVIOUS DEBRIEF CORRECT. SUBSEQUENT PHONE CONVERSATION WITH MR X, ATC COORDINATOR, INDICATED NO ATC VIOLATION BEING FILED BY ZNY.

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.