Narrative:

Leveled at FL350 en route from cmh to dca. Captain was flying. We were given clearance to cross 25 NM west of esl at FL290. Captain did not put restr into FMGC. Reached top of descent and captain did not start descent. First officer noted to captain restr. Captain then began descent. We were then handed to next ATC center. Upon checking in, center gave us next restr 'cross the druzz intersection at 15000 ft.' captain then leveled at 30980 ft, FL310. First officer asked captain why. Captain stated that since this controller gave us druzz at 15000 ft this canceled previous restr. First officer was direct in saying we could not level off here. We passed esl restr and then were high for druzz. Required full speed brake at vmo to make druzz restr. ATC never questioned our being high at 25 mi west esl, however, we were with another center. I do not believe you can cancel a restr unless center gave us pilot's discretion out of FL310, etc. This could have been a big problem if traffic was wbound at FL310. As pilots, we need to be sure to fully understand. ATC verbiage and instructions. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter is a first officer on the A-320. He is recently back to work after 18 months on furlough. He said that the 'captain is not all there.' the crew didn't talk about this incident after it happened. The first officer now realizes that a restr is canceled with a new restr is given unless the original restr is restated. This was not done in this case. The reporter feels that he did what he was supposed to do in trying to keep the aircraft descending short of mutiny.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALLEGED ALTDEV.

Narrative: LEVELED AT FL350 ENRTE FROM CMH TO DCA. CAPT WAS FLYING. WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS 25 NM W OF ESL AT FL290. CAPT DID NOT PUT RESTR INTO FMGC. REACHED TOP OF DSCNT AND CAPT DID NOT START DSCNT. FO NOTED TO CAPT RESTR. CAPT THEN BEGAN DSCNT. WE WERE THEN HANDED TO NEXT ATC CTR. UPON CHKING IN, CTR GAVE US NEXT RESTR 'CROSS THE DRUZZ INTXN AT 15000 FT.' CAPT THEN LEVELED AT 30980 FT, FL310. FO ASKED CAPT WHY. CAPT STATED THAT SINCE THIS CTLR GAVE US DRUZZ AT 15000 FT THIS CANCELED PREVIOUS RESTR. FO WAS DIRECT IN SAYING WE COULD NOT LEVEL OFF HERE. WE PASSED ESL RESTR AND THEN WERE HIGH FOR DRUZZ. REQUIRED FULL SPD BRAKE AT VMO TO MAKE DRUZZ RESTR. ATC NEVER QUESTIONED OUR BEING HIGH AT 25 MI W ESL, HOWEVER, WE WERE WITH ANOTHER CTR. I DO NOT BELIEVE YOU CAN CANCEL A RESTR UNLESS CTR GAVE US PLT'S DISCRETION OUT OF FL310, ETC. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A BIG PROB IF TFC WAS WBOUND AT FL310. AS PLTS, WE NEED TO BE SURE TO FULLY UNDERSTAND. ATC VERBIAGE AND INSTRUCTIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR IS A FO ON THE A-320. HE IS RECENTLY BACK TO WORK AFTER 18 MONTHS ON FURLOUGH. HE SAID THAT THE 'CAPT IS NOT ALL THERE.' THE CREW DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THIS INCIDENT AFTER IT HAPPENED. THE FO NOW REALIZES THAT A RESTR IS CANCELED WITH A NEW RESTR IS GIVEN UNLESS THE ORIGINAL RESTR IS RESTATED. THIS WAS NOT DONE IN THIS CASE. THE RPTR FEELS THAT HE DID WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO IN TRYING TO KEEP THE ACFT DSNDING SHORT OF MUTINY.

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.