Narrative:

En route from pbi to bos, PNF was getting ATIS and snow report for bos. Apparently the snow report was very long and PNF listened to it at least twice. During this time, the cabin attendant called and offered some food that we thought was a wrapped sandwich. Center called and gave a crossing restriction for a point south of pvd at FL250. I believe that I took this call while PNF was either listening to the ATIS/snow report of talking to the F/a. I programmed in FL250 25 south of pvd and began des. During des and on the next ATC sector, center called to inquire if previous sector had given us 50 south of pvd at FL250. We responded that we had punched in 25 south at FL250 and asked if there was any problem and they answered no. The exact sequence of events for the next few mins is not clear as there were several distrs. The F/a came into the cockpit with 2 full meal trays, the aircraft unexpectedly began to slow and level off and center gave us a 30 degree turn. I thought they said to turn left and did so. We were in the process of getting rid of the uneaten meals as we knew we did not have time to eat and center called and told us that the 30 degree turn was supposed to have been to the right, and told us to turn to 110 degree heading. We were eventually given pvd at 11000', same heading vectors, and flight proceeded west/O further incident. In discussing problems and solutions, first I want to comment on the bos snow report. It was, in my opinion, too long. There is no reason for a 2-MAN crew to have to listen to this much information. Secondly, I think it has been a common complaint that the large transport/widebody transport cockpit speaker arrangement doesn't provide the best quality communications. I understand that there are plans to require all pilots to use headsets below 10000' MSL. I also believe that pilots using the second radio for getting information such as ATIS/company information, etc, should use headsets and not contaminate ATC communications as to cause missed calls or misinformed on ATC calls. The initial problem of the wrong information being programmed for des indicates that even on the automated cockpit it is imperative that both pilots stay aware of all ATC directions and that they are properly executed. The distraction created by the F/a and the meals in the cockpit was due to misunderstanding between the pilots and F/a, as I for many years have adhered to the policy of not attempting to eat while on des, particularly into areas such as ny or bos.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLRNC INTERP OF ALT CROSSING RESTRICTION RESULTED IN MISSING CROSSING POINT 25 DME.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM PBI TO BOS, PNF WAS GETTING ATIS AND SNOW RPT FOR BOS. APPARENTLY THE SNOW RPT WAS VERY LONG AND PNF LISTENED TO IT AT LEAST TWICE. DURING THIS TIME, THE CAB CALLED AND OFFERED SOME FOOD THAT WE THOUGHT WAS A WRAPPED SANDWICH. CENTER CALLED AND GAVE A XING RESTRICTION FOR A POINT S OF PVD AT FL250. I BELIEVE THAT I TOOK THIS CALL WHILE PNF WAS EITHER LISTENING TO THE ATIS/SNOW RPT OF TALKING TO THE F/A. I PROGRAMMED IN FL250 25 S OF PVD AND BEGAN DES. DURING DES AND ON THE NEXT ATC SECTOR, CENTER CALLED TO INQUIRE IF PREVIOUS SECTOR HAD GIVEN US 50 S OF PVD AT FL250. WE RESPONDED THAT WE HAD PUNCHED IN 25 S AT FL250 AND ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY PROB AND THEY ANSWERED NO. THE EXACT SEQUENCE OF EVENTS FOR THE NEXT FEW MINS IS NOT CLR AS THERE WERE SEVERAL DISTRS. THE F/A CAME INTO THE COCKPIT WITH 2 FULL MEAL TRAYS, THE ACFT UNEXPECTEDLY BEGAN TO SLOW AND LEVEL OFF AND CENTER GAVE US A 30 DEG TURN. I THOUGHT THEY SAID TO TURN LEFT AND DID SO. WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING RID OF THE UNEATEN MEALS AS WE KNEW WE DID NOT HAVE TIME TO EAT AND CENTER CALLED AND TOLD US THAT THE 30 DEG TURN WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN TO THE RIGHT, AND TOLD US TO TURN TO 110 DEG HDG. WE WERE EVENTUALLY GIVEN PVD AT 11000', SAME HDG VECTORS, AND FLT PROCEEDED W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. IN DISCUSSING PROBS AND SOLUTIONS, FIRST I WANT TO COMMENT ON THE BOS SNOW RPT. IT WAS, IN MY OPINION, TOO LONG. THERE IS NO REASON FOR A 2-MAN CREW TO HAVE TO LISTEN TO THIS MUCH INFO. SECONDLY, I THINK IT HAS BEEN A COMMON COMPLAINT THAT THE LGT/WDB COCKPIT SPEAKER ARRANGEMENT DOESN'T PROVIDE THE BEST QUALITY COMS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE PLANS TO REQUIRE ALL PLTS TO USE HEADSETS BELOW 10000' MSL. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT PLTS USING THE SECOND RADIO FOR GETTING INFO SUCH AS ATIS/COMPANY INFO, ETC, SHOULD USE HEADSETS AND NOT CONTAMINATE ATC COMS AS TO CAUSE MISSED CALLS OR MISINFORMED ON ATC CALLS. THE INITIAL PROB OF THE WRONG INFO BEING PROGRAMMED FOR DES INDICATES THAT EVEN ON THE AUTOMATED COCKPIT IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT BOTH PLTS STAY AWARE OF ALL ATC DIRECTIONS AND THAT THEY ARE PROPERLY EXECUTED. THE DISTR CREATED BY THE F/A AND THE MEALS IN THE COCKPIT WAS DUE TO MISUNDERSTANDING BTWN THE PLTS AND F/A, AS I FOR MANY YEARS HAVE ADHERED TO THE POLICY OF NOT ATTEMPTING TO EAT WHILE ON DES, PARTICULARLY INTO AREAS SUCH AS NY OR BOS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.