Narrative:

We were given clearance to cross 25 mi west of kessel at FL290 from our cruise altitude of FL330. I wrote the clearance down on paper directly in front of me clipped to the yoke. Our current position was about 90 mi west of kessel and I figured I would begin descent at 60 mi. Contrary to my habit, I then placed the arrival page on the clipboard covering the paper I had just written the clearance on. As I studied the arrival (bucko 5), I then began to think of the most probable approach into dca, our destination. During this time I went way past my planned descent point. When I came to realize how late I was, I immediately commenced the descent. At 26 mi, ATC cleared us to 15000 ft by a fix 30 mi east of esl which was made without difficulty. We crossed our original restr (FL290) at 17 mi west of esl, 8 mi late. Although the subsequent clearance negated the first, it was still a lack of compliance with what I was intending to do. I think that my covering up of my note sheet contributed to my late descent.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-30 FO FAILS TO ADHERE TO HIS PLAN FOR AN ALT XING RESTR, STARTING HIS DSCNT TOO LATE TO MAKE IT.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS 25 MI W OF KESSEL AT FL290 FROM OUR CRUISE ALT OF FL330. I WROTE THE CLRNC DOWN ON PAPER DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME CLIPPED TO THE YOKE. OUR CURRENT POS WAS ABOUT 90 MI W OF KESSEL AND I FIGURED I WOULD BEGIN DSCNT AT 60 MI. CONTRARY TO MY HABIT, I THEN PLACED THE ARR PAGE ON THE CLIPBOARD COVERING THE PAPER I HAD JUST WRITTEN THE CLRNC ON. AS I STUDIED THE ARR (BUCKO 5), I THEN BEGAN TO THINK OF THE MOST PROBABLE APCH INTO DCA, OUR DEST. DURING THIS TIME I WENT WAY PAST MY PLANNED DSCNT POINT. WHEN I CAME TO REALIZE HOW LATE I WAS, I IMMEDIATELY COMMENCED THE DSCNT. AT 26 MI, ATC CLRED US TO 15000 FT BY A FIX 30 MI E OF ESL WHICH WAS MADE WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. WE CROSSED OUR ORIGINAL RESTR (FL290) AT 17 MI W OF ESL, 8 MI LATE. ALTHOUGH THE SUBSEQUENT CLRNC NEGATED THE FIRST, IT WAS STILL A LACK OF COMPLIANCE WITH WHAT I WAS INTENDING TO DO. I THINK THAT MY COVERING UP OF MY NOTE SHEET CONTRIBUTED TO MY LATE DSCNT.

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.