Flight crew of a DC9 became distraction socializing and was questioned by ATC, shortly before altitude crossing fix was coming up, if they were going to make their crossing restr. They immediately throttled back, put out speed brakes and just barely made the crossing restr.

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Attributes
ACN	385137
Time
Date	199711
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 6700
ASRS Report	385137
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	384670
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were cruising wbound at FL280, center gave us a crossing restr of FL240 over sfk VOR. We were approximately 100 mi from the station. The aircraft has only an altitude alerter, no FMS or VNAV. About 15 DME from sfk, center asked if we were going to cross sfk at FL240. We had been conversing about various topics in cruise and both of us had forgotten about the crossing restr. We deployed the speed brakes and began a rapid descent. We didn't think we could make the restr, however we did -- leveling at FL240 just as we crossed the station. When a restr is given so far in advance to a 'basic' aircraft, you must use memory joggers such as a checklist on the yoke or an illuminated MDA light. We didn't, and almost got caught. ATC in the past few yrs has increased the amount of crossing restrs they use, many for no particular reason other than an LOA between facilities. This increases the pilot workload greatly. Our restr had no traffic considerations, it was another center to center (ZNY to ZOB) agreement.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A DC9 BECAME DISTR SOCIALIZING AND WAS QUESTIONED BY ATC, SHORTLY BEFORE ALT XING FIX WAS COMING UP, IF THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE THEIR XING RESTR. THEY IMMEDIATELY THROTTLED BACK, PUT OUT SPD BRAKES AND JUST BARELY MADE THE XING RESTR.

Narrative: WE WERE CRUISING WBOUND AT FL280, CTR GAVE US A XING RESTR OF FL240 OVER SFK VOR. WE WERE APPROX 100 MI FROM THE STATION. THE ACFT HAS ONLY AN ALT ALERTER, NO FMS OR VNAV. ABOUT 15 DME FROM SFK, CTR ASKED IF WE WERE GOING TO CROSS SFK AT FL240. WE HAD BEEN CONVERSING ABOUT VARIOUS TOPICS IN CRUISE AND BOTH OF US HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE XING RESTR. WE DEPLOYED THE SPD BRAKES AND BEGAN A RAPID DSCNT. WE DIDN'T THINK WE COULD MAKE THE RESTR, HOWEVER WE DID -- LEVELING AT FL240 JUST AS WE CROSSED THE STATION. WHEN A RESTR IS GIVEN SO FAR IN ADVANCE TO A 'BASIC' ACFT, YOU MUST USE MEMORY JOGGERS SUCH AS A CHKLIST ON THE YOKE OR AN ILLUMINATED MDA LIGHT. WE DIDN'T, AND ALMOST GOT CAUGHT. ATC IN THE PAST FEW YRS HAS INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF XING RESTRS THEY USE, MANY FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON OTHER THAN AN LOA BTWN FACILITIES. THIS INCREASES THE PLT WORKLOAD GREATLY. OUR RESTR HAD NO TFC CONSIDERATIONS, IT WAS ANOTHER CTR TO CTR (ZNY TO ZOB) AGREEMENT.

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.