Narrative:

The first situation should have been enough but the day continued downhill. Returning to aircraft for flight to clt we were greeted by jump seat aci of official (FAA) capacity. Return flight was routing until descending into clt I heard our flight cleared to FL240, 60 mi east of tys, which I read back. We were level at FL330 already 40 east of tys when clearance received. It would be too time consuming to program the computer so we started down manually--and here is the problem. I checked my progress mentally as I descended and felt I would make the rest ok. There was continuing non pertinent discussion between the 3 of us ongoing when I realized I was out of FL250 at 65 DME and level FL240 at 68 DME. Neither the controller nor inspector made comment. I later heard controller clear aircraft behind me to cross 70 east of tys at FL240. 1) had the controller said 60 to me and meant 70? 2) did he say 60 and between my concern for the observer and a stiff tailwind had I just goofed? 3) had the controller said 70 and planned my descent on 70 and for some reason decided later he said 60? I don't know and was not able to discuss it with my first officer because of the third person. The remainder of the trip I agonized over whether I had busted a crossing restriction with an FAA inspector on the jump seat--busting a restriction is cause for concern anytime, but to do so with an inspector on board given the FAA's current enforcement mode is enough to distract one but good. To top off an already perfect day the autoplt executed a flawless ILS which I promptly screwed up by making a firm landing, then letting the controller hurry me onto the first high speed turnoff when I really should have gone to the next turn off. The inspector said it was a good trip. Me--I thought it was the sorriest day I've had in 23 yrs as a pilot.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT DEVIATION UNDERSHOT ALT CROSSING RESTRICTION FOLLOWED BY A HARD LNDG. ACI OBSERVED BOTH BUT MADE THE USUAL COMMENT WHEN LEAVING THE FLT CREW--'GOOD FLT.'

Narrative: THE FIRST SITUATION SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH BUT THE DAY CONTINUED DOWNHILL. RETURNING TO ACFT FOR FLT TO CLT WE WERE GREETED BY JUMP SEAT ACI OF OFFICIAL (FAA) CAPACITY. RETURN FLT WAS ROUTING UNTIL DSNDING INTO CLT I HEARD OUR FLT CLRED TO FL240, 60 MI E OF TYS, WHICH I READ BACK. WE WERE LEVEL AT FL330 ALREADY 40 E OF TYS WHEN CLRNC RECEIVED. IT WOULD BE TOO TIME CONSUMING TO PROGRAM THE COMPUTER SO WE STARTED DOWN MANUALLY--AND HERE IS THE PROB. I CHKED MY PROGRESS MENTALLY AS I DSNDED AND FELT I WOULD MAKE THE REST OK. THERE WAS CONTINUING NON PERTINENT DISCUSSION BTWN THE 3 OF US ONGOING WHEN I REALIZED I WAS OUT OF FL250 AT 65 DME AND LEVEL FL240 AT 68 DME. NEITHER THE CTLR NOR INSPECTOR MADE COMMENT. I LATER HEARD CTLR CLR ACFT BEHIND ME TO CROSS 70 E OF TYS AT FL240. 1) HAD THE CTLR SAID 60 TO ME AND MEANT 70? 2) DID HE SAY 60 AND BTWN MY CONCERN FOR THE OBSERVER AND A STIFF TAILWIND HAD I JUST GOOFED? 3) HAD THE CTLR SAID 70 AND PLANNED MY DSCNT ON 70 AND FOR SOME REASON DECIDED LATER HE SAID 60? I DON'T KNOW AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DISCUSS IT WITH MY F/O BECAUSE OF THE THIRD PERSON. THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP I AGONIZED OVER WHETHER I HAD BUSTED A XING RESTRICTION WITH AN FAA INSPECTOR ON THE JUMP SEAT--BUSTING A RESTRICTION IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN ANYTIME, BUT TO DO SO WITH AN INSPECTOR ON BOARD GIVEN THE FAA'S CURRENT ENFORCEMENT MODE IS ENOUGH TO DISTRACT ONE BUT GOOD. TO TOP OFF AN ALREADY PERFECT DAY THE AUTOPLT EXECUTED A FLAWLESS ILS WHICH I PROMPTLY SCREWED UP BY MAKING A FIRM LNDG, THEN LETTING THE CTLR HURRY ME ONTO THE FIRST HIGH SPD TURNOFF WHEN I REALLY SHOULD HAVE GONE TO THE NEXT TURN OFF. THE INSPECTOR SAID IT WAS A GOOD TRIP. ME--I THOUGHT IT WAS THE SORRIEST DAY I'VE HAD IN 23 YRS AS A PLT.

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.