Captain of a BAE146 (BA46) was socializing with the first officer and forgot about starting the descent for an assigned crossing restr until ARTCC radar controller intervened to inquire about his altitude. He immediately made a fast descent in order to make the crossing at the appropriate altitude.

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Attributes
ACN	412000
Time
Date	199808
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	BAe 146 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : zdv
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 22000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	412000
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Descent clearance was issued with a crossing restr. The captain (myself) got involved telling an emotional 'war story -- viet nam' and descent was not started until ZDV said 'say altitude.' I knew exactly what he meant and immediately started a flight idle and full air brake (spoilers) descent. Although I made the crossing, it would not have occurred without the professional verbal 'jog' from ATC. The obvious correction is to keep emotional stories out of the cockpit and always remain 'situationally aware' of your flight's progress.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A BAE146 (BA46) WAS SOCIALIZING WITH THE FO AND FORGOT ABOUT STARTING THE DSCNT FOR AN ASSIGNED XING RESTR UNTIL ARTCC RADAR CTLR INTERVENED TO INQUIRE ABOUT HIS ALT. HE IMMEDIATELY MADE A FAST DSCNT IN ORDER TO MAKE THE XING AT THE APPROPRIATE ALT.

Narrative: DSCNT CLRNC WAS ISSUED WITH A XING RESTR. THE CAPT (MYSELF) GOT INVOLVED TELLING AN EMOTIONAL 'WAR STORY -- VIET NAM' AND DSCNT WAS NOT STARTED UNTIL ZDV SAID 'SAY ALT.' I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE MEANT AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED A FLT IDLE AND FULL AIR BRAKE (SPOILERS) DSCNT. ALTHOUGH I MADE THE XING, IT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED WITHOUT THE PROFESSIONAL VERBAL 'JOG' FROM ATC. THE OBVIOUS CORRECTION IS TO KEEP EMOTIONAL STORIES OUT OF THE COCKPIT AND ALWAYS REMAIN 'SITUATIONALLY AWARE' OF YOUR FLT'S PROGRESS.

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.