A B737 flight crew fails to meet an assigned crossing restr due to conversation in the cockpit.

Attributes
ACN	587116
Time
Date	200307
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : vibes
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-500
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Route In Use	arrival star : milton 3
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	587116
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	587153
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

There had been several speed and altitude changes on the arrival. We crossed the marc intersection at FL180 and were cleared to cross vibes at 13000 ft. During the flight we had been talking about the company and our futures. I had just received a bump letter surplusing me out of base. We didn't descend until the controller indicated that we missed our crossing restr. He then vectored left of course descended us to 13000 ft and reclred us on the arrival. The rest of the arrival was uneventful. Human factors. I was on day 4 of a 5 day identify. 3RD captain of the trip and second of the day. I watched the captain verify the data in the FMC but failed to verify VNAV armed on FMA. Supplemental information from acn 587153: I neglected to re-select VNAV, missed the crossing restr and was queried by ZNY and was given an immediate turn. While in the turn and descent we got a TCASII amber traffic alert for the traffic at 18000 ft. I was busy talking about my pending divorce and air carrier X's financial condition.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 FLT CREW FAILS TO MEET AN ASSIGNED XING RESTR DUE TO CONVERSATION IN THE COCKPIT.

Narrative: THERE HAD BEEN SEVERAL SPD AND ALT CHANGES ON THE ARR. WE CROSSED THE MARC INTXN AT FL180 AND WERE CLRED TO CROSS VIBES AT 13000 FT. DURING THE FLT WE HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE COMPANY AND OUR FUTURES. I HAD JUST RECEIVED A BUMP LETTER SURPLUSING ME OUT OF BASE. WE DIDN'T DSND UNTIL THE CTLR INDICATED THAT WE MISSED OUR XING RESTR. HE THEN VECTORED L OF COURSE DSNDED US TO 13000 FT AND RECLRED US ON THE ARR. THE REST OF THE ARR WAS UNEVENTFUL. HUMAN FACTORS. I WAS ON DAY 4 OF A 5 DAY IDENT. 3RD CAPT OF THE TRIP AND SECOND OF THE DAY. I WATCHED THE CAPT VERIFY THE DATA IN THE FMC BUT FAILED TO VERIFY VNAV ARMED ON FMA. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 587153: I NEGLECTED TO RE-SELECT VNAV, MISSED THE XING RESTR AND WAS QUERIED BY ZNY AND WAS GIVEN AN IMMEDIATE TURN. WHILE IN THE TURN AND DSCNT WE GOT A TCASII AMBER TFC ALERT FOR THE TFC AT 18000 FT. I WAS BUSY TALKING ABOUT MY PENDING DIVORCE AND ACR X'S FINANCIAL CONDITION.

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.