Narrative:

On the fll 292 degree right, while flying at FL190, inbound to fll airport, I informed the first officer that I was temporarily leaving the frequency to speak over the PA to the passenger. During that 1 min of time in which I was not monitoring center (though the first officer was) they assigned us a crossing altitude restriction, which he acknowledged to 'cross 50 mi northwest of fll at and maintain 8000'.' when I returned to monitoring center and notified the first officer that I was back, he did not mention the descent clearance, nor did he say anything as I got ever closer to the 50 mi fix on which it was predicated. As I passed the fix, still level at FL190, and still unaware of the clearance, center asked us what our altitude was. We confirmed FL190, whereupon center told us to do a 360 degree turn and descend to 8000'. Nothing more was said by the controller about our failure to make the assigned crossing restriction, and we were sequenced in with apparently no conflict other than the 360 degree turn required to descend. The lesson is pretty straight forward: don't rely on the guy you leave monitoring ATC to inform you of changes while you're off the air. Either monitor both channels while you speak on the P/a or at least ask specifically each time you return: 'any changes?' also, see first officer's remarks for further speculation, which I agree with. Supplemental information from acn 99566: I did not inform him of the clearance. There seems to be no scheduled rest in the course of any given duty day, sufficient to really leave the aircraft, situation down and eat a meal. Fatigue is an unequivocal consequence.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT DEVIATION FAILED TO MAKE CROSSING RESTRICTION.

Narrative: ON THE FLL 292 DEG R, WHILE FLYING AT FL190, INBND TO FLL ARPT, I INFORMED THE F/O THAT I WAS TEMPORARILY LEAVING THE FREQ TO SPEAK OVER THE PA TO THE PAX. DURING THAT 1 MIN OF TIME IN WHICH I WAS NOT MONITORING CENTER (THOUGH THE F/O WAS) THEY ASSIGNED US A XING ALT RESTRICTION, WHICH HE ACKNOWLEDGED TO 'CROSS 50 MI NW OF FLL AT AND MAINTAIN 8000'.' WHEN I RETURNED TO MONITORING CENTER AND NOTIFIED THE F/O THAT I WAS BACK, HE DID NOT MENTION THE DSCNT CLRNC, NOR DID HE SAY ANYTHING AS I GOT EVER CLOSER TO THE 50 MI FIX ON WHICH IT WAS PREDICATED. AS I PASSED THE FIX, STILL LEVEL AT FL190, AND STILL UNAWARE OF THE CLRNC, CENTER ASKED US WHAT OUR ALT WAS. WE CONFIRMED FL190, WHEREUPON CENTER TOLD US TO DO A 360 DEG TURN AND DSND TO 8000'. NOTHING MORE WAS SAID BY THE CTLR ABOUT OUR FAILURE TO MAKE THE ASSIGNED XING RESTRICTION, AND WE WERE SEQUENCED IN WITH APPARENTLY NO CONFLICT OTHER THAN THE 360 DEG TURN REQUIRED TO DSND. THE LESSON IS PRETTY STRAIGHT FORWARD: DON'T RELY ON THE GUY YOU LEAVE MONITORING ATC TO INFORM YOU OF CHANGES WHILE YOU'RE OFF THE AIR. EITHER MONITOR BOTH CHANNELS WHILE YOU SPEAK ON THE P/A OR AT LEAST ASK SPECIFICALLY EACH TIME YOU RETURN: 'ANY CHANGES?' ALSO, SEE F/O'S REMARKS FOR FURTHER SPECULATION, WHICH I AGREE WITH. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 99566: I DID NOT INFORM HIM OF THE CLRNC. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO SCHEDULED REST IN THE COURSE OF ANY GIVEN DUTY DAY, SUFFICIENT TO REALLY LEAVE THE ACFT, SIT DOWN AND EAT A MEAL. FATIGUE IS AN UNEQUIVOCAL CONSEQUENCE.

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.