Large transport is late beginning descent and misses an altitude crossing restriction.

Attributes
ACN	155435
Time
Date	199008
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : omn
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx tower : ont
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j103
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	155435
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 174 flight time total : 15500 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	155584
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying flight from pit to mco, level at FL350, southbound on J103. At approximately 130 DME from omn jax center requested me to cross 80 DME north of omn at FL310. At 81 DME north of omn jax center asked my DME from omn. I then started a descent to FL310 and was level by 73 DME. My first officer advised jax center we had started down and center requested a fast descent. I did have the crossing restriction in plenty of time to make it. The reason I missed it was the first officer and I were talking about the future of our company, more than dividing my attention from flying. I had been on duty for approximately 9 hours at that time and had not slept well the previous night, which is typical for me on short overnights. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter described how he had trouble sleeping the night before and how this fatigue added to a conversation in the cockpit contributed to their forgetting about the upcoming crossing restriction.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT IS LATE BEGINNING DESCENT AND MISSES AN ALT CROSSING RESTRICTION.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FLT FROM PIT TO MCO, LEVEL AT FL350, SBND ON J103. AT APPROX 130 DME FROM OMN JAX CTR REQUESTED ME TO CROSS 80 DME NORTH OF OMN AT FL310. AT 81 DME NORTH OF OMN JAX CTR ASKED MY DME FROM OMN. I THEN STARTED A DSNT TO FL310 AND WAS LEVEL BY 73 DME. MY F/O ADVISED JAX CTR WE HAD STARTED DOWN AND CTR REQUESTED A FAST DSNT. I DID HAVE THE XING RESTRICTION IN PLENTY OF TIME TO MAKE IT. THE REASON I MISSED IT WAS THE F/O AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR COMPANY, MORE THAN DIVIDING MY ATTN FROM FLYING. I HAD BEEN ON DUTY FOR APPROX 9 HRS AT THAT TIME AND HAD NOT SLEPT WELL THE PREVIOUS NIGHT, WHICH IS TYPICAL FOR ME ON SHORT OVERNIGHTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR DESCRIBED HOW HE HAD TROUBLE SLEEPING THE NIGHT BEFORE AND HOW THIS FATIGUE ADDED TO A CONVERSATION IN THE COCKPIT CONTRIBUTED TO THEIR FORGETTING ABOUT THE UPCOMING XING RESTRICTION.

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.