Altitude crossing restr -- the air carrier was high at the assigned VOR crossing.

Attributes
ACN	304170
Time
Date	199505
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oxi airport : ord
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau tower : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATR 72
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	304170
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	304171
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We received a crossing restr for oxi plus or minus 60 DME out and started to descend out of 14000 ft at 500 FPM. During this prolonged descent the first officer went off the air to pick up ord ATIS. The left pack was deferred and the cockpit temperature was uncomfortably high. I tried to make adjustments to the air conditioning system, while flying and doing radios and failed to notice our proximity to oxi VOR and didn't realize the mistake until ATC queried us. Failure to properly divide cockpit duties was the primary cause of the incident with, uncomfortable temperature due to deferral as a contributing factor. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the captain was flying an ATR- 72 at the time and he set up a shallow descent because 'I interpreted the instructions as to start descent now, but cross oxi at 9000 ft.' this was much too early for a normal descent so he started down at 500 FPM and then got distracted. He thinks that he was at 9700 ft at oxi, but the controller did not ask him about the crossing until much later and after he was level at 9000 ft. The captain, who has about 6000 hours in the ATR-72, said that he was aware of the insidious nature of these slow dscnts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT XING RESTR -- THE ACR WAS HIGH AT THE ASSIGNED VOR XING.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED A XING RESTR FOR OXI PLUS OR MINUS 60 DME OUT AND STARTED TO DSND OUT OF 14000 FT AT 500 FPM. DURING THIS PROLONGED DSCNT THE FO WENT OFF THE AIR TO PICK UP ORD ATIS. THE L PACK WAS DEFERRED AND THE COCKPIT TEMP WAS UNCOMFORTABLY HIGH. I TRIED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AIR CONDITIONING SYS, WHILE FLYING AND DOING RADIOS AND FAILED TO NOTICE OUR PROX TO OXI VOR AND DIDN'T REALIZE THE MISTAKE UNTIL ATC QUERIED US. FAILURE TO PROPERLY DIVIDE COCKPIT DUTIES WAS THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WITH, UNCOMFORTABLE TEMP DUE TO DEFERRAL AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE CAPT WAS FLYING AN ATR- 72 AT THE TIME AND HE SET UP A SHALLOW DSCNT BECAUSE 'I INTERPRETED THE INSTRUCTIONS AS TO START DSCNT NOW, BUT CROSS OXI AT 9000 FT.' THIS WAS MUCH TOO EARLY FOR A NORMAL DSCNT SO HE STARTED DOWN AT 500 FPM AND THEN GOT DISTRACTED. HE THINKS THAT HE WAS AT 9700 FT AT OXI, BUT THE CTLR DID NOT ASK HIM ABOUT THE XING UNTIL MUCH LATER AND AFTER HE WAS LEVEL AT 9000 FT. THE CAPT, WHO HAS ABOUT 6000 HRS IN THE ATR-72, SAID THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE INSIDIOUS NATURE OF THESE SLOW DSCNTS.

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.