Air carrier flight crew misses crossing restriction.

Attributes
ACN	159477
Time
Date	199010
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dpk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	159477
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route to deep park VOR at FL250, received clearance to cross deep park at FL180. Throughout the flight the captain had been explaining his position and views on being a union member (I am not). When cleared to FL180 I set the altitude warning to FL180 and repeated the clearance, yet he elected to withhold descent until closer to the VOR. He then returned to his discussion of the merits of unionism and we missed the descent. ZNY called and asked what our clearance was just outside of deer park VOR. We initiated an immediate descent, but missed the assigned altitude of FL180 by several thousand ft. I allowed peer pressure to involve me in an emotional and distracting discussion during a fairly routine phase of flight and it still caused problems! A simple en route descent first officer 7000' was missed because a discussion was started during flight that involved a topic of high emotional content. Unionism, abortion, religion--a professional crew should keep the topics to those relating to the flight, or at least to those issues not likely to distract the crew!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW MISSES CROSSING RESTRICTION.

Narrative: ENRTE TO DEEP PARK VOR AT FL250, RECEIVED CLRNC TO CROSS DEEP PARK AT FL180. THROUGHOUT THE FLT THE CAPT HAD BEEN EXPLAINING HIS POS AND VIEWS ON BEING A UNION MEMBER (I AM NOT). WHEN CLRED TO FL180 I SET THE ALT WARNING TO FL180 AND REPEATED THE CLRNC, YET HE ELECTED TO WITHHOLD DSNT UNTIL CLOSER TO THE VOR. HE THEN RETURNED TO HIS DISCUSSION OF THE MERITS OF UNIONISM AND WE MISSED THE DSNT. ZNY CALLED AND ASKED WHAT OUR CLRNC WAS JUST OUTSIDE OF DEER PARK VOR. WE INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE DSNT, BUT MISSED THE ASSIGNED ALT OF FL180 BY SEVERAL THOUSAND FT. I ALLOWED PEER PRESSURE TO INVOLVE ME IN AN EMOTIONAL AND DISTRACTING DISCUSSION DURING A FAIRLY ROUTINE PHASE OF FLT AND IT STILL CAUSED PROBS! A SIMPLE ENRTE DSNT FO 7000' WAS MISSED BECAUSE A DISCUSSION WAS STARTED DURING FLT THAT INVOLVED A TOPIC OF HIGH EMOTIONAL CONTENT. UNIONISM, ABORTION, RELIGION--A PROFESSIONAL CREW SHOULD KEEP THE TOPICS TO THOSE RELATING TO THE FLT, OR AT LEAST TO THOSE ISSUES NOT LIKELY TO DISTRACT THE CREW!

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.