Narrative:

I xferred control of both the aircraft and ATC radios to the first officer so I could call company. I was trying to discuss alternative destinations as our destination WX was dropping. I asked the first officer to get us a hold over plano intersection. Phone patch was coming in broken, so I turned the #1 radio (ATC) down. I watched the first officer enter the hold into the FMS. Once I was through with company, I turned the #1 radio back up and took control of the aircraft again. First officer briefed me that we had been given a hold over plano intersection. Approaching plano, ATC advised us that we were supposed to cross plano at 14000 ft. I immediately queried the first officer and she said that she understood our clearance to be for FL240. Upon further prodding, she explained that we had been cleared to cross 40 DME southeast of ord VOR at 14000 ft. Subsequently, we had been cleared to plano intersection for the hold. She understood that to mean our previous crossing restr was no longer valid. I realize now that I did not prioritize properly. As the captain, it is my responsibility to make sure the flight operates safely and legally. I should have told company to stand by while I assigned the first officer in obtaining a proper holding clearance. Secondly, I should not have turned down the #1 radio, no matter what difficulty I was having hearing the #2 radio. In the future, I will try to manage my flight so as to avoid such a high workload.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC WHILE CAPT WAS OFF FREQ AND THEY MISSED AN ALT XING RESTR.

Narrative: I XFERRED CTL OF BOTH THE ACFT AND ATC RADIOS TO THE FO SO I COULD CALL COMPANY. I WAS TRYING TO DISCUSS ALTERNATIVE DESTS AS OUR DEST WX WAS DROPPING. I ASKED THE FO TO GET US A HOLD OVER PLANO INTXN. PHONE PATCH WAS COMING IN BROKEN, SO I TURNED THE #1 RADIO (ATC) DOWN. I WATCHED THE FO ENTER THE HOLD INTO THE FMS. ONCE I WAS THROUGH WITH COMPANY, I TURNED THE #1 RADIO BACK UP AND TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AGAIN. FO BRIEFED ME THAT WE HAD BEEN GIVEN A HOLD OVER PLANO INTXN. APCHING PLANO, ATC ADVISED US THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO CROSS PLANO AT 14000 FT. I IMMEDIATELY QUERIED THE FO AND SHE SAID THAT SHE UNDERSTOOD OUR CLRNC TO BE FOR FL240. UPON FURTHER PRODDING, SHE EXPLAINED THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO CROSS 40 DME SE OF ORD VOR AT 14000 FT. SUBSEQUENTLY, WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO PLANO INTXN FOR THE HOLD. SHE UNDERSTOOD THAT TO MEAN OUR PREVIOUS XING RESTR WAS NO LONGER VALID. I REALIZE NOW THAT I DID NOT PRIORITIZE PROPERLY. AS THE CAPT, IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THE FLT OPERATES SAFELY AND LEGALLY. I SHOULD HAVE TOLD COMPANY TO STAND BY WHILE I ASSIGNED THE FO IN OBTAINING A PROPER HOLDING CLRNC. SECONDLY, I SHOULD NOT HAVE TURNED DOWN THE #1 RADIO, NO MATTER WHAT DIFFICULTY I WAS HAVING HEARING THE #2 RADIO. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL TRY TO MANAGE MY FLT SO AS TO AVOID SUCH A HIGH WORKLOAD.

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.