An A319 flight crew, tardy leaving top of descent, caused undershoot of crossing restr.

Attributes
ACN	490250
Time
Date	200010
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : manta
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 20500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other Other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 270
ASRS Report	490250
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared to cross manta at FL200. I briefed the captain on where we would start down. We got involved in briefing the approach in phl and a runway change. We flew passsed the briefed top of descent and ATC asked us to start down. We initiated our descent and crossed manta at FL205. Automation can sometimes be distracting, as was the case here.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319 FLC, TARDY LEAVING TOP OF DSCNT, CAUSED UNDERSHOOT OF XING RESTR.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS MANTA AT FL200. I BRIEFED THE CAPT ON WHERE WE WOULD START DOWN. WE GOT INVOLVED IN BRIEFING THE APCH IN PHL AND A RWY CHANGE. WE FLEW PASSSED THE BRIEFED TOP OF DSCNT AND ATC ASKED US TO START DOWN. WE INITIATED OUR DSCNT AND CROSSED MANTA AT FL205. AUTOMATION CAN SOMETIMES BE DISTRACTING, AS WAS THE CASE HERE.

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.