B767 deviates for WX and neglects to descend as assigned on arrival to iad.

Attributes
ACN	521580
Time
Date	200108
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : jasen
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 11000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time type : 1590
ASRS Report	521580
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While on arrival into iad, there was a thunderstorm over jasen intersection. The previous controller, aware of our need to deviate asked us to fly over and cross druzz intersection prior to deviating. Shortly after that, he gave us a frequency change. As we crossed over druzz and began to deviate to the north at 11000 ft we notified the new controller who apparently was not aware that we would be deviating north of druzz. He issued a clearance to 6000 ft and questioned us about our WX deviation. He re-issued the clearance to deviate. In the meanwhile we were busy deviating. Although we did set 6000 ft in the MCP, we did not begin the descent immediately. ATC then said we were 'late' in starting our descent and asked us to start our descent. The remainder of the flight was normal. This was the 3RD leg of an XA55 duty day. We were doing an IOE, and were both pretty tired. Even though we acknowledged the clearance to 6000 ft and set it in the MCP panel, the distractions with the WX and ATC were enough for both of us to forget that we had been issued a descent somewhere during our conversation with ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 DEVIATES FOR WX AND NEGLECTS TO DSND AS ASSIGNED ON ARR TO IAD.

Narrative: WHILE ON ARR INTO IAD, THERE WAS A TSTM OVER JASEN INTXN. THE PREVIOUS CTLR, AWARE OF OUR NEED TO DEVIATE ASKED US TO FLY OVER AND CROSS DRUZZ INTXN PRIOR TO DEVIATING. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, HE GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE. AS WE CROSSED OVER DRUZZ AND BEGAN TO DEVIATE TO THE N AT 11000 FT WE NOTIFIED THE NEW CTLR WHO APPARENTLY WAS NOT AWARE THAT WE WOULD BE DEVIATING N OF DRUZZ. HE ISSUED A CLRNC TO 6000 FT AND QUESTIONED US ABOUT OUR WX DEV. HE RE-ISSUED THE CLRNC TO DEVIATE. IN THE MEANWHILE WE WERE BUSY DEVIATING. ALTHOUGH WE DID SET 6000 FT IN THE MCP, WE DID NOT BEGIN THE DSCNT IMMEDIATELY. ATC THEN SAID WE WERE 'LATE' IN STARTING OUR DSCNT AND ASKED US TO START OUR DSCNT. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL. THIS WAS THE 3RD LEG OF AN XA55 DUTY DAY. WE WERE DOING AN IOE, AND WERE BOTH PRETTY TIRED. EVEN THOUGH WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC TO 6000 FT AND SET IT IN THE MCP PANEL, THE DISTRACTIONS WITH THE WX AND ATC WERE ENOUGH FOR BOTH OF US TO FORGET THAT WE HAD BEEN ISSUED A DSCNT SOMEWHERE DURING OUR CONVERSATION WITH ATC.

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.