Altitude crossing restriction missed.

Attributes
ACN	167492
Time
Date	199101
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bkw
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7900 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	167492
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a flight from dfw to dca several F/as came up into the cockpit to discuss the state of our (the pilots) current contract negotiations with the company. These negotiations had become very adversarial. During these discussions with the F/as, wash center cleared us to cross puttz intersection at 27000' (as depicted on the finks 5 arrival). As PNF, I acknowledged the clearance and set 27000' in the altitude window, however, I did not realize the captain did not hear the clearance due to the discussion which the F/as were engaged in. (They, like us, seemed to be very angry with the company). I then returned to the discussion and the next thing we knew center was asking us about our altitude. The captain replied to center that he had not received the clearance to cross puttz at FL270, he thought it was pilots discretion to FL270. Center then cleared us to cross doccs at 15000', which we did. The root cause of this altitude bust was our (the pilots) failure to keep the operation of the airplane as our top priority, as we sometimes engaged in lengthy conversations with the F/as. Of course, the fact that we had up to 3 F/as in the cockpit during the descent didn't help.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT CROSSING RESTRICTION MISSED.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM DFW TO DCA SEVERAL F/AS CAME UP INTO THE COCKPIT TO DISCUSS THE STATE OF OUR (THE PLTS) CURRENT CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE COMPANY. THESE NEGOTIATIONS HAD BECOME VERY ADVERSARIAL. DURING THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE F/AS, WASH CTR CLRED US TO CROSS PUTTZ INTXN AT 27000' (AS DEPICTED ON THE FINKS 5 ARR). AS PNF, I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC AND SET 27000' IN THE ALT WINDOW, HOWEVER, I DID NOT REALIZE THE CAPT DID NOT HEAR THE CLRNC DUE TO THE DISCUSSION WHICH THE F/AS WERE ENGAGED IN. (THEY, LIKE US, SEEMED TO BE VERY ANGRY WITH THE COMPANY). I THEN RETURNED TO THE DISCUSSION AND THE NEXT THING WE KNEW CTR WAS ASKING US ABOUT OUR ALT. THE CAPT REPLIED TO CTR THAT HE HAD NOT RECEIVED THE CLRNC TO CROSS PUTTZ AT FL270, HE THOUGHT IT WAS PLTS DISCRETION TO FL270. CTR THEN CLRED US TO CROSS DOCCS AT 15000', WHICH WE DID. THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS ALT BUST WAS OUR (THE PLTS) FAILURE TO KEEP THE OPERATION OF THE AIRPLANE AS OUR TOP PRIORITY, AS WE SOMETIMES ENGAGED IN LENGTHY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE F/AS. OF COURSE, THE FACT THAT WE HAD UP TO 3 F/AS IN THE COCKPIT DURING THE DSNT DIDN'T HELP.

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.