Altitude crossing restr not met.

Attributes
ACN	276087
Time
Date	199406
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sbj airport : lga
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	276087
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route den-lga, given various holds with efc's that exceeded our ability to do with adequate fuel upon arrival. Each hold was moved or shortened, so the situation kept changing. Reason for holds was not fully known. I was trying to keep in touch with company dispatch to keep them informed, and change alternate to closer airport. We were at 13000 ft when ATC cleared us to cross lizzi intersection at 11000 ft. I set 11000 ft in the altitude reminder window, first officer confirmed. I then went back to working with dispatch. Finished that just in time to see us coming up on lizzi, still at 13000 ft. I directed first officer to descend immediately to 11000 ft and he asked center if we had created a problem. They said 'no.' in a situation like that, I cannot monitor the first officer effectively and work with dispatch too. Both are important. With a 2 pilot crew (first officer was very experienced), you make your best guess as to what's most important. This time I guessed wrong.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT XING RESTR NOT MET.

Narrative: ENRTE DEN-LGA, GIVEN VARIOUS HOLDS WITH EFC'S THAT EXCEEDED OUR ABILITY TO DO WITH ADEQUATE FUEL UPON ARR. EACH HOLD WAS MOVED OR SHORTENED, SO THE SIT KEPT CHANGING. REASON FOR HOLDS WAS NOT FULLY KNOWN. I WAS TRYING TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH COMPANY DISPATCH TO KEEP THEM INFORMED, AND CHANGE ALTERNATE TO CLOSER ARPT. WE WERE AT 13000 FT WHEN ATC CLRED US TO CROSS LIZZI INTXN AT 11000 FT. I SET 11000 FT IN THE ALT REMINDER WINDOW, FO CONFIRMED. I THEN WENT BACK TO WORKING WITH DISPATCH. FINISHED THAT JUST IN TIME TO SEE US COMING UP ON LIZZI, STILL AT 13000 FT. I DIRECTED FO TO DSND IMMEDIATELY TO 11000 FT AND HE ASKED CTR IF WE HAD CREATED A PROB. THEY SAID 'NO.' IN A SIT LIKE THAT, I CANNOT MONITOR THE FO EFFECTIVELY AND WORK WITH DISPATCH TOO. BOTH ARE IMPORTANT. WITH A 2 PLT CREW (FO WAS VERY EXPERIENCED), YOU MAKE YOUR BEST GUESS AS TO WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT. THIS TIME I GUESSED WRONG.

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.