Narrative:

We were in cruise at FL280 and had received a descent clearance from center to cross the mayos intersection on the majic 5 arrival into charlotte, nc, at FL220. I was flying the aircraft and noted that when we received the clearance that we had approximately 45 NM to make the descent. Since we had plenty of time to descend, I started down slowly at 800-1000 FPM using the autoplt. Very shortly after we started down, the 'a' flight attendant entered the cockpit to tell us that a passenger was having trouble clearing her ears and was experiencing mild pain. The first officer and I checked the pressurization controller which indicated normally. Since the flight attendant mentioned that she was also having a little trouble clearing her ears, we began to suspect that the cabin pressurization indications were in error. For several mins we both became engrossed with the pressurization. The center then contacted us with a frequency change. As the first officer switched frequencys, I noticed that we were past the mayos intersection approximately 2000 ft high. The controller on the new frequency asked us to expedite our descent to an even lower altitude. Since he asked us to expedite, I figured he already realized we were high, so I didn't bring it up, but expedited the descent at approximately 4000 FPM to the newly assigned altitude. Center thanked us for the descent before he handed us off, and since nothing else was mentioned and no off course vectors were issued, I assumed that no traffic conflict was created. We are trained in the simulator that during emergency or abnormal situations, someone must fly the aircraft. Since we were at high altitude rather than the approach or departure phase, I lulled myself into forgetting this lesson. The first officer was doing his job perfectly, but I was the one who should have been flying rather than troubleshooting.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC UNDERSHOT A XING ALT RESTRICTION DUE TO THE DISTR OF A POSSIBLE ACFT EQUIP PROBLEM.

Narrative: WE WERE IN CRUISE AT FL280 AND HAD RECEIVED A DSCNT CLRNC FROM CTR TO CROSS THE MAYOS INTXN ON THE MAJIC 5 ARR INTO CHARLOTTE, NC, AT FL220. I WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND NOTED THAT WHEN WE RECEIVED THE CLRNC THAT WE HAD APPROX 45 NM TO MAKE THE DSCNT. SINCE WE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO DSND, I STARTED DOWN SLOWLY AT 800-1000 FPM USING THE AUTOPLT. VERY SHORTLY AFTER WE STARTED DOWN, THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE COCKPIT TO TELL US THAT A PAX WAS HAVING TROUBLE CLRING HER EARS AND WAS EXPERIENCING MILD PAIN. THE FO AND I CHKED THE PRESSURIZATION CTLR WHICH INDICATED NORMALLY. SINCE THE FLT ATTENDANT MENTIONED THAT SHE WAS ALSO HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE CLRING HER EARS, WE BEGAN TO SUSPECT THAT THE CABIN PRESSURIZATION INDICATIONS WERE IN ERROR. FOR SEVERAL MINS WE BOTH BECAME ENGROSSED WITH THE PRESSURIZATION. THE CTR THEN CONTACTED US WITH A FREQ CHANGE. AS THE FO SWITCHED FREQS, I NOTICED THAT WE WERE PAST THE MAYOS INTXN APPROX 2000 FT HIGH. THE CTLR ON THE NEW FREQ ASKED US TO EXPEDITE OUR DSCNT TO AN EVEN LOWER ALT. SINCE HE ASKED US TO EXPEDITE, I FIGURED HE ALREADY REALIZED WE WERE HIGH, SO I DIDN'T BRING IT UP, BUT EXPEDITED THE DSCNT AT APPROX 4000 FPM TO THE NEWLY ASSIGNED ALT. CTR THANKED US FOR THE DSCNT BEFORE HE HANDED US OFF, AND SINCE NOTHING ELSE WAS MENTIONED AND NO OFF COURSE VECTORS WERE ISSUED, I ASSUMED THAT NO TFC CONFLICT WAS CREATED. WE ARE TRAINED IN THE SIMULATOR THAT DURING EMER OR ABNORMAL SITUATIONS, SOMEONE MUST FLY THE ACFT. SINCE WE WERE AT HIGH ALT RATHER THAN THE APCH OR DEP PHASE, I LULLED MYSELF INTO FORGETTING THIS LESSON. THE FO WAS DOING HIS JOB PERFECTLY, BUT I WAS THE ONE WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN FLYING RATHER THAN TROUBLESHOOTING.

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.