An air carrier medium large transport fails to make an altitude crossing restr.

Attributes
ACN	404520
Time
Date	199806
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pie
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 27300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zma
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	404520
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were level at FL330 and given a clearance to cross 10 mi north of the st petersburg VOR at and maintain FL270. I was the PNF and read back the clearance to ATC. The captain who was flying confirmed the clearance and said he would start down about 30 NM from st petersburg. I told him I was off #1 radio to call company and do other related descent items. He acknowledged this and said that he had #1 radio. I was busy with associated duties when I looked at our distance from st petersburg VOR. We were 20 NM. I immediately stopped what I was doing and asked the captain if our clearance had changed. He said 'no.' so I suggested we immediately start our descent. We did this and I attempted to contact center to tell them of our situation but the frequency was fairly congested and didn't get to get a call in before we were level at FL270. We were probably a couple of hundred ft high (200-300 ft) at our restr. No mention of this was made by center as he handed us off to approach. Factors in this were obviously not starting our descent in time. This was caused by myself not monitoring the #1 radio and reminding the captain earlier. Another factor was the captain being preoccupied with a newly installed GPS unit instead of monitoring his position.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG FAILS TO MAKE AN ALT XING RESTR.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT FL330 AND GIVEN A CLRNC TO CROSS 10 MI N OF THE ST PETERSBURG VOR AT AND MAINTAIN FL270. I WAS THE PNF AND READ BACK THE CLRNC TO ATC. THE CAPT WHO WAS FLYING CONFIRMED THE CLRNC AND SAID HE WOULD START DOWN ABOUT 30 NM FROM ST PETERSBURG. I TOLD HIM I WAS OFF #1 RADIO TO CALL COMPANY AND DO OTHER RELATED DSCNT ITEMS. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AND SAID THAT HE HAD #1 RADIO. I WAS BUSY WITH ASSOCIATED DUTIES WHEN I LOOKED AT OUR DISTANCE FROM ST PETERSBURG VOR. WE WERE 20 NM. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED WHAT I WAS DOING AND ASKED THE CAPT IF OUR CLRNC HAD CHANGED. HE SAID 'NO.' SO I SUGGESTED WE IMMEDIATELY START OUR DSCNT. WE DID THIS AND I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT CTR TO TELL THEM OF OUR SIT BUT THE FREQ WAS FAIRLY CONGESTED AND DIDN'T GET TO GET A CALL IN BEFORE WE WERE LEVEL AT FL270. WE WERE PROBABLY A COUPLE OF HUNDRED FT HIGH (200-300 FT) AT OUR RESTR. NO MENTION OF THIS WAS MADE BY CTR AS HE HANDED US OFF TO APCH. FACTORS IN THIS WERE OBVIOUSLY NOT STARTING OUR DSCNT IN TIME. THIS WAS CAUSED BY MYSELF NOT MONITORING THE #1 RADIO AND REMINDING THE CAPT EARLIER. ANOTHER FACTOR WAS THE CAPT BEING PREOCCUPIED WITH A NEWLY INSTALLED GPS UNIT INSTEAD OF MONITORING HIS POS.

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.