Narrative:

Approximately 50 DME north of balance at FL220, was given clearance to cross 20 mi north of balance at 12000 ft. Set up FMC and MCP to meet crossing restr. Went back to trying to figure out ATIS for dca, which distraction me from monitoring descent. First officer was pretty new and no help as a backup to me. This was a human performance mistake big time! When a habit pattern is broken or a distraction occurs in the cockpit, you can't be diligent enough. Supplemental information from acn 447911: both the captain and I became preoccupied with an unusual ATIS. ATC center controller issued us a crossing restr to cross 20 mi north of balance at 12000 ft. Since the captain was flying he programmed the flight computer to comply with the restr and I doublechked that it was entered correctly and that the appropriate altitude was also selected on the MCP to allow the plane to automatically comply with the crossing restr. We both returned our attention to the ATIS. Since neither of us was watching for the descent, we both missed the fact the plane didn't start down. ATC noticed this and gave us a vector for a 360 degree turning descent.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-500 FLC REQUIRED ASSISTANCE FROM ARTCC TO COMPLY WITH AN ALT XING RESTR IN AN AUTOFLT DSCNT INTO DCA.

Narrative: APPROX 50 DME N OF BAL AT FL220, WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS 20 MI N OF BAL AT 12000 FT. SET UP FMC AND MCP TO MEET XING RESTR. WENT BACK TO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ATIS FOR DCA, WHICH DISTR ME FROM MONITORING DSCNT. FO WAS PRETTY NEW AND NO HELP AS A BACKUP TO ME. THIS WAS A HUMAN PERFORMANCE MISTAKE BIG TIME! WHEN A HABIT PATTERN IS BROKEN OR A DISTR OCCURS IN THE COCKPIT, YOU CAN'T BE DILIGENT ENOUGH. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 447911: BOTH THE CAPT AND I BECAME PREOCCUPIED WITH AN UNUSUAL ATIS. ATC CTR CTLR ISSUED US A XING RESTR TO CROSS 20 MI N OF BAL AT 12000 FT. SINCE THE CAPT WAS FLYING HE PROGRAMMED THE FLT COMPUTER TO COMPLY WITH THE RESTR AND I DOUBLECHKED THAT IT WAS ENTERED CORRECTLY AND THAT THE APPROPRIATE ALT WAS ALSO SELECTED ON THE MCP TO ALLOW THE PLANE TO AUTOMATICALLY COMPLY WITH THE XING RESTR. WE BOTH RETURNED OUR ATTN TO THE ATIS. SINCE NEITHER OF US WAS WATCHING FOR THE DSCNT, WE BOTH MISSED THE FACT THE PLANE DIDN'T START DOWN. ATC NOTICED THIS AND GAVE US A VECTOR FOR A 360 DEG TURNING DSCNT.

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.