An air carrier freighter failed to climb to meet its crossing restr.

Attributes
ACN	303461
Time
Date	199504
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sya
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-C/F
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic enroute : pacific
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	303461
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 other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Air carrier cargo flight a was given a clearance to climb from FL330 to FL350 and reach it by XA40. At XA50Z, air carrier flight B was relaying a request from anc to see if we had arrived at FL350. At that time we started the climb from FL330 to FL350 and informed flight B who then relayed. At the time that clearance was received, the PF, who was the copilot, was back at the galley getting a cup of coffee and using the restroom. Upon getting back to his seat, he was informed by the captain about the clearance. Flight a was a 747 flight attendant aircraft and was at its optimum altitude when the climb-to clearance was given. I elected not to climb immediately so as to save fuel. Contributing to this occurrence was: copilot was not able to receive clearance personally. Aircraft was at its optimum altitude for weight and fuel burn. No safeguards to remind of altitude climb that should have commenced at XA35Z. Lack of communication with anc. Crew was distracted with various other tasks.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FREIGHTER FAILED TO CLB TO MEET ITS XING RESTR.

Narrative: ACR CARGO FLT A WAS GIVEN A CLRNC TO CLB FROM FL330 TO FL350 AND REACH IT BY XA40. AT XA50Z, ACR FLT B WAS RELAYING A REQUEST FROM ANC TO SEE IF WE HAD ARRIVED AT FL350. AT THAT TIME WE STARTED THE CLB FROM FL330 TO FL350 AND INFORMED FLT B WHO THEN RELAYED. AT THE TIME THAT CLRNC WAS RECEIVED, THE PF, WHO WAS THE COPLT, WAS BACK AT THE GALLEY GETTING A CUP OF COFFEE AND USING THE RESTROOM. UPON GETTING BACK TO HIS SEAT, HE WAS INFORMED BY THE CAPT ABOUT THE CLRNC. FLT A WAS A 747 FA ACFT AND WAS AT ITS OPTIMUM ALT WHEN THE CLB-TO CLRNC WAS GIVEN. I ELECTED NOT TO CLB IMMEDIATELY SO AS TO SAVE FUEL. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS OCCURRENCE WAS: COPLT WAS NOT ABLE TO RECEIVE CLRNC PERSONALLY. ACFT WAS AT ITS OPTIMUM ALT FOR WT AND FUEL BURN. NO SAFEGUARDS TO REMIND OF ALT CLB THAT SHOULD HAVE COMMENCED AT XA35Z. LACK OF COM WITH ANC. CREW WAS DISTRACTED WITH VARIOUS OTHER TASKS.

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.