First officer of a MD11 failed to start descent as cleared causing ARTCC controller to alert crew to start descent due to the captain not passing the descent clearance with a new routing change.

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Attributes
ACN	493790
Time
Date	200012
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : suu.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc tower : pbi.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	493790
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were operating a flight into travis AFB (suu). While at FL240, we were given a clearance changing our route and, at the same time, a descent clearance to FL200. The route change was to a fix not on our flight plan, so it took a little time to verify its identify from the en route chart. It took about 2 mins to complete the task of reprogramming the FMS and go back 'heads up.' it was at that time I realized that we were still at FL240. As I pointed this out to the PF, ZOA asked about our altitude and (slightly agitated) told us to start our descent now. What happened was that the PF missed hearing the descent clearance and only thought about the route change. I was remiss in that I was in a hurry and didn't immediately get an altitude verification from the PF as is the company policy. Receiving a complex clearance to an unexpected route along with an altitude change didn't help matters.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF A MD11 FAILED TO START DSCNT AS CLRED CAUSING ARTCC CTLR TO ALERT CREW TO START DSCNT DUE TO THE CAPT NOT PASSING THE DSCNT CLRNC WITH A NEW ROUTING CHANGE.

Narrative: WE WERE OPERATING A FLT INTO TRAVIS AFB (SUU). WHILE AT FL240, WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC CHANGING OUR RTE AND, AT THE SAME TIME, A DSCNT CLRNC TO FL200. THE RTE CHANGE WAS TO A FIX NOT ON OUR FLT PLAN, SO IT TOOK A LITTLE TIME TO VERIFY ITS IDENT FROM THE ENRTE CHART. IT TOOK ABOUT 2 MINS TO COMPLETE THE TASK OF REPROGRAMMING THE FMS AND GO BACK 'HEADS UP.' IT WAS AT THAT TIME I REALIZED THAT WE WERE STILL AT FL240. AS I POINTED THIS OUT TO THE PF, ZOA ASKED ABOUT OUR ALT AND (SLIGHTLY AGITATED) TOLD US TO START OUR DSCNT NOW. WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT THE PF MISSED HEARING THE DSCNT CLRNC AND ONLY THOUGHT ABOUT THE RTE CHANGE. I WAS REMISS IN THAT I WAS IN A HURRY AND DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY GET AN ALT VERIFICATION FROM THE PF AS IS THE COMPANY POLICY. RECEIVING A COMPLEX CLRNC TO AN UNEXPECTED RTE ALONG WITH AN ALT CHANGE DIDN'T HELP MATTERS.

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.