Altitude deviation altitude crossing restr not met altitude undershot in descent.

Attributes
ACN	318630
Time
Date	199510
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fak
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
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 : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	318630
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	318632
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route on jet airway, at FL290, ATC issued a clearance to cross fak VOR at FL270. We were approximately 70 NM from fak and only 2000 ft to descend. Both the first officer and myself followed company procedures by setting 27000 ft in the altitude alerter and acknowledging crossing restr. Because it was an absolutely clear, beautiful night with unlimited visibility, and descent need not start immediately, I looked out the window to sight-see and enjoy the sunset. Next thing I hear is ATC advising us to descend to FL270. I then noticed we were 3 NM from fak VOR. Once we leveled at FL270 we were 10 NM the other side of the VOR. We had missed our crossing restr by 10 NM! To my knowledge, no traffic conflict existed, no evasive action was taken and ATC never questioned our descent. Although both the first officer and myself followed all CRM and altitude awareness procedures, I failed in letting my guard down to enjoy a beautiful evening of flying. In the future, I should leave the daydreaming (night dreaming) to outside the cockpit!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT XING RESTR NOT MET ALT UNDERSHOT IN DSCNT.

Narrative: ENRTE ON JET AIRWAY, AT FL290, ATC ISSUED A CLRNC TO CROSS FAK VOR AT FL270. WE WERE APPROX 70 NM FROM FAK AND ONLY 2000 FT TO DSND. BOTH THE FO AND MYSELF FOLLOWED COMPANY PROCS BY SETTING 27000 FT IN THE ALT ALERTER AND ACKNOWLEDGING XING RESTR. BECAUSE IT WAS AN ABSOLUTELY CLR, BEAUTIFUL NIGHT WITH UNLIMITED VISIBILITY, AND DSCNT NEED NOT START IMMEDIATELY, I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW TO SIGHT-SEE AND ENJOY THE SUNSET. NEXT THING I HEAR IS ATC ADVISING US TO DSND TO FL270. I THEN NOTICED WE WERE 3 NM FROM FAK VOR. ONCE WE LEVELED AT FL270 WE WERE 10 NM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE VOR. WE HAD MISSED OUR XING RESTR BY 10 NM! TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO TFC CONFLICT EXISTED, NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN AND ATC NEVER QUESTIONED OUR DSCNT. ALTHOUGH BOTH THE FO AND MYSELF FOLLOWED ALL CRM AND ALT AWARENESS PROCS, I FAILED IN LETTING MY GUARD DOWN TO ENJOY A BEAUTIFUL EVENING OF FLYING. IN THE FUTURE, I SHOULD LEAVE THE DAYDREAMING (NIGHT DREAMING) TO OUTSIDE THE COCKPIT!

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.