Narrative:

While at cruise at FL350, received and acknowledged clearance to cross 50 mi south of hampton at FL200. First officer was flying aircraft and navigating on the sey 247 degree radial to intercept J121 (236 degrees out of hto). I had hto 236 degree radial in my CDI (J121). I noticed at 20 mi south of hto that the first officer hadn't begun his descent but with the headwind of +/-60 KTS I assumed he was delaying his descent for best economy. (I had flown with him before and he is very competent and does not need to be prodded.) at about 30 NM south of hto the controller asked if we had started our descent at which time we did (6000 FPM to make restr). The controller handed us off to the next controller. We crossed 50 mi south of hto at about FL205 and overshot the leveloff altitude as low as FL196 in order to make the transition as smooth as possible. Neither controller questioned our altitude on check-in (ATC computers possibly slow in reading our altitude). This B737-200 has sperry SP77 autoplt and pms system. Next time after receiving and confirming a clearance when not required to be initiated immediately, I will confirm my math out loud to verify an expected descent point, then both crew members are aware of intentions. CRM.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF A B737-200 FAILED TO MAKE XING ALT RESTR DUE TO A LATE START IN DSNDING. HE THEN SUBSEQUENTLY OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT DUE TO THE VERY HIGH RATE OF DSCNT IN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE THE RESTR.

Narrative: WHILE AT CRUISE AT FL350, RECEIVED AND ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC TO CROSS 50 MI S OF HAMPTON AT FL200. FO WAS FLYING ACFT AND NAVING ON THE SEY 247 DEG RADIAL TO INTERCEPT J121 (236 DEGS OUT OF HTO). I HAD HTO 236 DEG RADIAL IN MY CDI (J121). I NOTICED AT 20 MI S OF HTO THAT THE FO HADN'T BEGUN HIS DSCNT BUT WITH THE HEADWIND OF +/-60 KTS I ASSUMED HE WAS DELAYING HIS DSCNT FOR BEST ECONOMY. (I HAD FLOWN WITH HIM BEFORE AND HE IS VERY COMPETENT AND DOES NOT NEED TO BE PRODDED.) AT ABOUT 30 NM S OF HTO THE CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD STARTED OUR DSCNT AT WHICH TIME WE DID (6000 FPM TO MAKE RESTR). THE CTLR HANDED US OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR. WE CROSSED 50 MI S OF HTO AT ABOUT FL205 AND OVERSHOT THE LEVELOFF ALT AS LOW AS FL196 IN ORDER TO MAKE THE TRANSITION AS SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE. NEITHER CTLR QUESTIONED OUR ALT ON CHK-IN (ATC COMPUTERS POSSIBLY SLOW IN READING OUR ALT). THIS B737-200 HAS SPERRY SP77 AUTOPLT AND PMS SYS. NEXT TIME AFTER RECEIVING AND CONFIRMING A CLRNC WHEN NOT REQUIRED TO BE INITIATED IMMEDIATELY, I WILL CONFIRM MY MATH OUT LOUD TO VERIFY AN EXPECTED DSCNT POINT, THEN BOTH CREW MEMBERS ARE AWARE OF INTENTIONS. CRM.

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.