ALT XING RESTR NOT MET IN DSCNT.

Narrative

WE HAD ALREADY BEEN ISSUED A DSCNT CLRNC FROM ZDC TO DSND TO 17000 FT. WE WERE EBOUND; DIRECT RIC VOR; AND DSNDING THROUGH ABOUT FL230 TO OUR CLRNC ALT OF 17000 FT WHEN CTR GAVE US A NEW CLRNC OF 'CROSS 40 MI W OF RICHMOND AT 9000 FT.' I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC ON THE RADIO; AND AWAITED THE CAPT (PF) TO RESET THE ALT SELECT PANEL ON THE GLARESHIELD AUTOPLT CTL PANEL. HE WAS BUSY WITH THE FMC KEYBOARD; TYPING IN THE ALT OPPOSITE RIC ON THE NAV PAGE OF THE FMC. THINKING HE WAS DONE; AND (I ASSUME) SEEING THE ALT LEVELOFF PREDICTION SYMBOL ON THE EFIS MAP DISPLAY IN A PROPER LOCATION; 40 MI W OF RICHMOND; HE SAT BACK UNCONCERNED. AT THIS POINT I DIALED IN 9000 FT ON THE ALT SELECT PANEL (NOT NORMAL PROC) AND POINTED OUT THAT THE LEVELOFF PREDICTION IN THE FMC WAS LOOKING AT 17000 FT NOT 9000 FT. WE WERE GOING TO BE HIGH! AT THIS POINT HE DEPLOYED THE SPD BRAKE AND CHANGED AUTOPLT MODE TO VERT SPD; THEN TRIED TO ENGAGE LEVEL CHANGE (IDLE DSCNT); GOT THE SPD ABOUT 5 KTS OVER VMO; NOSE DOWN MINUS 12 DEGS ETC. BASICALLY AN INEFFECTIVE; HAPHAZARD ATTEMPT TO GET THE JOB DONE. DURING ALL THIS EXCITEMENT; I SAID ABOUT 4 TIMES; 'WE'RE GONNA BE HIGH;' 'WE'RE GONNA BUST THE ALT' ETC. IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE NEED; TO SLOW AT 10000 FT TO 250 KTS WE MIGHT HAVE MADE IT. AS IT TURNED OUT; AT THE 40 MI FIX; WE WERE AT AROUND 9500 FT DSNDING AT ABOUT 100 FPM. NO; I DIDN'T TAKE CTL OF THE AIRPLANE - - HE WASN'T GOING TO KILL ME. BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT -- I'M TIRED OF WORRYING ABOUT THESE GUY'S EGOS. THE NEXT TIME I'M IN ONE OF THESE SITS; I'M PICKING UP THE MIKE AND SAYING 'CTR; UNABLE THE 40 MI W AT 9000 FT.' AND IF SOMEONE'S FEELINGS ARE HURT -- TOO BAD! I'M TIRED OF SITTING ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT BEING A SPECTATOR WHILE SOMEONE FLIES POORLY.