Light transport did not begin descent in time to meet altitude crossing restriction.

Attributes
ACN	90060
Time
Date	198806
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	90060
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on the last leg home of an exhausting 4 day trip. Both of us were very tired especially after a period of reduced 'rest'. While I was calling in range to our company the captain was issued a clearance for a pd descent to cross 40 DME southeast of atl at 8000'. Unfortunately, a small unruly child seated directly behind the cockpit began to cause trouble in an apparent effort to gain attention from his mother. The child kicked the walls, made loud noises, and even tried to get into the captain's flight bag. (The cockpit door on the light transport is never closed during the summer months due to extremely poor cockpit ventilation.) the child continued this type of behavior for some time before finally calming down. The captain then asked that I take control of the aircraft so that he could fill out his personal logbook. About 40 seconds after taking control of the aircraft ATC queried us as to our altitude. We were 40 DME at 11000. We both immediately realized that the unruly child had distracted us from the descent clearance. The captain took control of the aircraft (without verbal acknowledgement), and started an abrupt and steep descent. The captain leveled at 8000' by 38.3 DME. I closed the cockpit door. We both burned up for the rest of the flight. (There is no cockpit air conditioning, let alone air movement in older light transport's.) one last comment. I do believe a F/a would've been helpful in this situation. Too bad that F/a's are not required on aircraft with 19 seats or less!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT DID NOT BEGIN DESCENT IN TIME TO MEET ALT CROSSING RESTRICTION.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE LAST LEG HOME OF AN EXHAUSTING 4 DAY TRIP. BOTH OF US WERE VERY TIRED ESPECIALLY AFTER A PERIOD OF REDUCED 'REST'. WHILE I WAS CALLING IN RANGE TO OUR COMPANY THE CAPT WAS ISSUED A CLRNC FOR A PD DSCNT TO CROSS 40 DME SE OF ATL AT 8000'. UNFORTUNATELY, A SMALL UNRULY CHILD SEATED DIRECTLY BEHIND THE COCKPIT BEGAN TO CAUSE TROUBLE IN AN APPARENT EFFORT TO GAIN ATTN FROM HIS MOTHER. THE CHILD KICKED THE WALLS, MADE LOUD NOISES, AND EVEN TRIED TO GET INTO THE CAPT'S FLT BAG. (THE COCKPIT DOOR ON THE LTT IS NEVER CLOSED DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS DUE TO EXTREMELY POOR COCKPIT VENTILATION.) THE CHILD CONTINUED THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR FOR SOME TIME BEFORE FINALLY CALMING DOWN. THE CAPT THEN ASKED THAT I TAKE CONTROL OF THE ACFT SO THAT HE COULD FILL OUT HIS PERSONAL LOGBOOK. ABOUT 40 SECONDS AFTER TAKING CONTROL OF THE ACFT ATC QUERIED US AS TO OUR ALT. WE WERE 40 DME AT 11000. WE BOTH IMMEDIATELY REALIZED THAT THE UNRULY CHILD HAD DISTRACTED US FROM THE DSCNT CLRNC. THE CAPT TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT (WITHOUT VERBAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT), AND STARTED AN ABRUPT AND STEEP DSCNT. THE CAPT LEVELED AT 8000' BY 38.3 DME. I CLOSED THE COCKPIT DOOR. WE BOTH BURNED UP FOR THE REST OF THE FLT. (THERE IS NO COCKPIT AIR CONDITIONING, LET ALONE AIR MOVEMENT IN OLDER LTT'S.) ONE LAST COMMENT. I DO BELIEVE A F/A WOULD'VE BEEN HELPFUL IN THIS SITUATION. TOO BAD THAT F/A'S ARE NOT REQUIRED ON ACFT WITH 19 SEATS OR LESS!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.