Narrative:

I was the PF on flight from allentown, PA, to chicago, il. We were about to begin our descent into the chicago area when a flight attendant knocked on the cockpit door to pick up our breakfast trays. Upon entering the cockpit, the flight attendant asked the captain and myself about possible recommendations to pursuing an aviation career, which her son was interested. During the conversation, which we all 3 participated in, the center controller told us to cross 35 mi east of knox at FL250. This was read back to him, and a quick calculation showed that we had about 25 mi to go before needing to start down. The conversation with the flight attendant continued and then concluded. At the conclusion of our conversation, I then proceeded to brief the approach that would be used at ord, and totally forgot about the assigned crossing restr. At 35 DME from know the center controller asked us what our altitude was and at that point the captain and I both realized I missed the crossing and immediately asked for relief. The controller gave us another frequency and added that if the next guy gives us a crossing restr, we may want to adhere to it. To our knowledge, there was no traffic conflict as indicated by our TCASII or by the center controller himself. At any rate, as the PF, it was my responsibility to assure adherence to the clearance received. I believe that just like in any emergency, if there is any distraction within the cockpit (ie, flight attendant communication, etc), that the PF should pay attention to nothing but flying the airplane. If he/she wants to join in or add to a conversation, he/she should assign the flying duties to the PNF. Someone has to be keeping track of the flying and the associated ATC clrncs received and this I was supposed to do.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG ACR FLC FAILS TO MAKE THEIR ALT XING RESTR 35 MI E OF OXI, IN.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF ON FLT FROM ALLENTOWN, PA, TO CHICAGO, IL. WE WERE ABOUT TO BEGIN OUR DSCNT INTO THE CHICAGO AREA WHEN A FLT ATTENDANT KNOCKED ON THE COCKPIT DOOR TO PICK UP OUR BREAKFAST TRAYS. UPON ENTERING THE COCKPIT, THE FLT ATTENDANT ASKED THE CAPT AND MYSELF ABOUT POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS TO PURSUING AN AVIATION CAREER, WHICH HER SON WAS INTERESTED. DURING THE CONVERSATION, WHICH WE ALL 3 PARTICIPATED IN, THE CTR CTLR TOLD US TO CROSS 35 MI E OF KNOX AT FL250. THIS WAS READ BACK TO HIM, AND A QUICK CALCULATION SHOWED THAT WE HAD ABOUT 25 MI TO GO BEFORE NEEDING TO START DOWN. THE CONVERSATION WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT CONTINUED AND THEN CONCLUDED. AT THE CONCLUSION OF OUR CONVERSATION, I THEN PROCEEDED TO BRIEF THE APCH THAT WOULD BE USED AT ORD, AND TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT THE ASSIGNED XING RESTR. AT 35 DME FROM KNOW THE CTR CTLR ASKED US WHAT OUR ALT WAS AND AT THAT POINT THE CAPT AND I BOTH REALIZED I MISSED THE XING AND IMMEDIATELY ASKED FOR RELIEF. THE CTLR GAVE US ANOTHER FREQ AND ADDED THAT IF THE NEXT GUY GIVES US A XING RESTR, WE MAY WANT TO ADHERE TO IT. TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT AS INDICATED BY OUR TCASII OR BY THE CTR CTLR HIMSELF. AT ANY RATE, AS THE PF, IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO ASSURE ADHERENCE TO THE CLRNC RECEIVED. I BELIEVE THAT JUST LIKE IN ANY EMER, IF THERE IS ANY DISTR WITHIN THE COCKPIT (IE, FLT ATTENDANT COM, ETC), THAT THE PF SHOULD PAY ATTN TO NOTHING BUT FLYING THE AIRPLANE. IF HE/SHE WANTS TO JOIN IN OR ADD TO A CONVERSATION, HE/SHE SHOULD ASSIGN THE FLYING DUTIES TO THE PNF. SOMEONE HAS TO BE KEEPING TRACK OF THE FLYING AND THE ASSOCIATED ATC CLRNCS RECEIVED AND THIS I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.

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.