Narrative:

While performing ny normal captain's duties, I was discussing with my second officer a minor problem before takeoff (clarification of checklist use). My first officer was flying and had decided to begin his descent on the cugar 4 arrival to iah around 85-90 mi out to cross hoagi at 10,000' at 10,000' and 250 KTS. At the time we were talking to the first sector of ZHU and were cruising at 25,000', as I said above I was talking to the second officer when the first officer motioned that he was beginning his descent. I set the altitude alerter to 10,000' (the crossing restriction) as about that time we received a frequency change to the second controller at ZHU. Because I thought that the first officer had told the previous controller he was beginning his descent (remember I was discussing the checklist problem with the first officer) I reported out of 25,000 for 10,000'. The controller came back and asked what altitude we were descending to and I said to cross hoagi at 10,000'. He said who told you to descend and asked me to check the arrival chart. The chart said to expect to cross hoagi at 10,000'. I asked the first officer if he received a clearance for the crossing fix. He said I thought you asked for the descent, which was totally ridiculous since I was talking to the second officer. The first officer just began his descent where he had planned to and forgot to get permission. He tried to pass the buck. At any rate we began a descent in IFR conditions without clearance. I explained to the controller that the first officer began his descent early which at that point he gave us a clearance to cross hoagi at 10,000' by this time we were around 22,000'. Nothing else was mentioned about the incident by the controller. He handed us off to houston approach, everything else went as planned. I realize I am the PIC and it was my responsibility to see that such things don't happen, but I can only do so many things at once. I learned as did the first officer to clarify everything before any action is taken.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LARGE TRANSPORT INITIATES DESCENT WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE PERFORMING NY NORMAL CAPT'S DUTIES, I WAS DISCUSSING WITH MY S/O A MINOR PROBLEM BEFORE TKOF (CLARIFICATION OF CHECKLIST USE). MY F/O WAS FLYING AND HAD DECIDED TO BEGIN HIS DSCNT ON THE CUGAR 4 ARR TO IAH AROUND 85-90 MI OUT TO CROSS HOAGI AT 10,000' AT 10,000' AND 250 KTS. AT THE TIME WE WERE TALKING TO THE FIRST SECTOR OF ZHU AND WERE CRUISING AT 25,000', AS I SAID ABOVE I WAS TALKING TO THE S/O WHEN THE F/O MOTIONED THAT HE WAS BEGINNING HIS DSCNT. I SET THE ALT ALERTER TO 10,000' (THE XING RESTRICTION) AS ABOUT THAT TIME WE RECEIVED A FREQ CHANGE TO THE SECOND CTLR AT ZHU. BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT THE F/O HAD TOLD THE PREVIOUS CTLR HE WAS BEGINNING HIS DSCNT (REMEMBER I WAS DISCUSSING THE CHECKLIST PROBLEM WITH THE F/O) I REPORTED OUT OF 25,000 FOR 10,000'. THE CTLR CAME BACK AND ASKED WHAT ALT WE WERE DESCENDING TO AND I SAID TO CROSS HOAGI AT 10,000'. HE SAID WHO TOLD YOU TO DSND AND ASKED ME TO CHECK THE ARRIVAL CHART. THE CHART SAID TO EXPECT TO CROSS HOAGI AT 10,000'. I ASKED THE F/O IF HE RECEIVED A CLRNC FOR THE XING FIX. HE SAID I THOUGHT YOU ASKED FOR THE DSCNT, WHICH WAS TOTALLY RIDICULOUS SINCE I WAS TALKING TO THE S/O. THE F/O JUST BEGAN HIS DSCNT WHERE HE HAD PLANNED TO AND FORGOT TO GET PERMISSION. HE TRIED TO PASS THE BUCK. AT ANY RATE WE BEGAN A DSCNT IN IFR CONDITIONS WITHOUT CLRNC. I EXPLAINED TO THE CTLR THAT THE F/O BEGAN HIS DSCNT EARLY WHICH AT THAT POINT HE GAVE US A CLRNC TO CROSS HOAGI AT 10,000' BY THIS TIME WE WERE AROUND 22,000'. NOTHING ELSE WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THE INCIDENT BY THE CTLR. HE HANDED US OFF TO HOUSTON APCH, EVERYTHING ELSE WENT AS PLANNED. I REALIZE I AM THE PIC AND IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO SEE THAT SUCH THINGS DON'T HAPPEN, BUT I CAN ONLY DO SO MANY THINGS AT ONCE. I LEARNED AS DID THE F/O TO CLARIFY EVERYTHING BEFORE ANY ACTION IS TAKEN.

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.