Narrative:

While on the leese arrival to mco, a clearance was given to cross clawz, pilot's discretion, at FL270. The altitude was set into the altitude select panel, but descent was not initiated until controller said 'call sign, you were cleared to cross clawz at FL270, begin descent.' at that point we were over clawz and controller did not indicate a conflict, but asked us to expedite descent. This was the captain's first flight after IOE. I have been on the L1011 for 2 yrs and prior to that, a B727 copilot for 5 yrs. This aircraft does not have the ability to program a descent point into the FMS and it takes crew awareness to make/meet restrs. Problem arose: pilot's discretion descent given. Discovered by: ATC as we were passing clawz at FL330, when we should have been at FL270. Contributing factors: pilot (captain in equipment type) but mostly inattn to task at hand. We were all involved in a heated discussion about the age 60 rule -- we forgot! Corrective action: make sure everyone is aware of flight duties first, and that someone is primarily flying and not involved in other activities. We expedited descent and no mention was made of any conflicts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR L1011 FLC FORGOT TO START DSCNT AND CROSSED CLAWZ ABOVE THEIR ASSIGNED ALT. THE ARTCC CTLR REMINDED THEM ABOUT THE XING AND ASKED THEM TO EXPEDITE DSCNT.

Narrative: WHILE ON THE LEESE ARR TO MCO, A CLRNC WAS GIVEN TO CROSS CLAWZ, PLT'S DISCRETION, AT FL270. THE ALT WAS SET INTO THE ALT SELECT PANEL, BUT DSCNT WAS NOT INITIATED UNTIL CTLR SAID 'CALL SIGN, YOU WERE CLRED TO CROSS CLAWZ AT FL270, BEGIN DSCNT.' AT THAT POINT WE WERE OVER CLAWZ AND CTLR DID NOT INDICATE A CONFLICT, BUT ASKED US TO EXPEDITE DSCNT. THIS WAS THE CAPT'S FIRST FLT AFTER IOE. I HAVE BEEN ON THE L1011 FOR 2 YRS AND PRIOR TO THAT, A B727 COPLT FOR 5 YRS. THIS ACFT DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROGRAM A DSCNT POINT INTO THE FMS AND IT TAKES CREW AWARENESS TO MAKE/MEET RESTRS. PROB AROSE: PLT'S DISCRETION DSCNT GIVEN. DISCOVERED BY: ATC AS WE WERE PASSING CLAWZ AT FL330, WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT FL270. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: PLT (CAPT IN EQUIP TYPE) BUT MOSTLY INATTN TO TASK AT HAND. WE WERE ALL INVOLVED IN A HEATED DISCUSSION ABOUT THE AGE 60 RULE -- WE FORGOT! CORRECTIVE ACTION: MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE OF FLT DUTIES FIRST, AND THAT SOMEONE IS PRIMARILY FLYING AND NOT INVOLVED IN OTHER ACTIVITIES. WE EXPEDITED DSCNT AND NO MENTION WAS MADE OF ANY CONFLICTS.

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.