Narrative:

On the last flight of the day, en route to jax, toward the end of cruise at FL330, ZJX called with a crossing restr of, 'cross 35 NM northwest of alma (amg) VOR at FL280.' the captain (PNF) acknowledged as we were passing approximately 85 NM northwest of alma. I computed a start descent point of 55 NM northwest of alma. I computed a start descent point of 55 NM northwest of alma to make the restr in a fuel efficient manner. At this point the lead flight attendant entered the cockpit to discuss with the captain a problem she was having with a rude passenger. As she departed the cockpit, center called asking about our adherence to the restr. We were 31 DME northwest of alma. I immediately descended to FL280 with haste. We saw no traffic on TCASII and were told of no conflicts, and although the controller was curt when correcting us, he spoke no more of the incident. I feel ashamed of allowing myself the distraction since I sincerely try to be professional and reach crossing restrs with precision and efficiency. The main contributor seems to have been another person in the cockpit having a conversation with the captain which distracted me from beginning my descent. Another potential factor was that I did not sleep well the night before and my performance may not have been what it is normally. I feel that this type of fatigue is rather insidious in that I was not experiencing a 'sinker' at the time, yet subconsciously I may have been mentally letting down toward the end of the day. I have determined that in the future during any distracting circumstances, I must first check my clearance and be more vigilant to adhere to that clearance. Supplemental information from acn 274069: this was her second cockpit visit and she was obviously upset about this unruly passenger. As we were discovering how to best handle the situation, I noticed the DME approaching 35 DME, and our altitude was still FL330. I immediately told the first officer to start down and attempted to inform ATC. Before I had a chance to key the microphone, ATC inquired 'what is your altitude?' I informed him that we were just starting down to FL280. He replied, 'maintain FL280.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT XING RESTR NOT MET.

Narrative: ON THE LAST FLT OF THE DAY, ENRTE TO JAX, TOWARD THE END OF CRUISE AT FL330, ZJX CALLED WITH A XING RESTR OF, 'CROSS 35 NM NW OF ALMA (AMG) VOR AT FL280.' THE CAPT (PNF) ACKNOWLEDGED AS WE WERE PASSING APPROX 85 NM NW OF ALMA. I COMPUTED A START DSCNT POINT OF 55 NM NW OF ALMA. I COMPUTED A START DSCNT POINT OF 55 NM NW OF ALMA TO MAKE THE RESTR IN A FUEL EFFICIENT MANNER. AT THIS POINT THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE COCKPIT TO DISCUSS WITH THE CAPT A PROB SHE WAS HAVING WITH A RUDE PAX. AS SHE DEPARTED THE COCKPIT, CTR CALLED ASKING ABOUT OUR ADHERENCE TO THE RESTR. WE WERE 31 DME NW OF ALMA. I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO FL280 WITH HASTE. WE SAW NO TFC ON TCASII AND WERE TOLD OF NO CONFLICTS, AND ALTHOUGH THE CTLR WAS CURT WHEN CORRECTING US, HE SPOKE NO MORE OF THE INCIDENT. I FEEL ASHAMED OF ALLOWING MYSELF THE DISTR SINCE I SINCERELY TRY TO BE PROFESSIONAL AND REACH XING RESTRS WITH PRECISION AND EFFICIENCY. THE MAIN CONTRIBUTOR SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN ANOTHER PERSON IN THE COCKPIT HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THE CAPT WHICH DISTRACTED ME FROM BEGINNING MY DSCNT. ANOTHER POTENTIAL FACTOR WAS THAT I DID NOT SLEEP WELL THE NIGHT BEFORE AND MY PERFORMANCE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN WHAT IT IS NORMALLY. I FEEL THAT THIS TYPE OF FATIGUE IS RATHER INSIDIOUS IN THAT I WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A 'SINKER' AT THE TIME, YET SUBCONSCIOUSLY I MAY HAVE BEEN MENTALLY LETTING DOWN TOWARD THE END OF THE DAY. I HAVE DETERMINED THAT IN THE FUTURE DURING ANY DISTRACTING CIRCUMSTANCES, I MUST FIRST CHK MY CLRNC AND BE MORE VIGILANT TO ADHERE TO THAT CLRNC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 274069: THIS WAS HER SECOND COCKPIT VISIT AND SHE WAS OBVIOUSLY UPSET ABOUT THIS UNRULY PAX. AS WE WERE DISCOVERING HOW TO BEST HANDLE THE SIT, I NOTICED THE DME APCHING 35 DME, AND OUR ALT WAS STILL FL330. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD THE FO TO START DOWN AND ATTEMPTED TO INFORM ATC. BEFORE I HAD A CHANCE TO KEY THE MIKE, ATC INQUIRED 'WHAT IS YOUR ALT?' I INFORMED HIM THAT WE WERE JUST STARTING DOWN TO FL280. HE REPLIED, 'MAINTAIN FL280.'

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.