Narrative:

I was flying the aircraft en route to mke. As we were descending into the mke area just west of the jvl VOR center said they needed us 25 east of jvl at 10000'. Realizing this was going to be tight I extended the spoilers and increased the rate of descent to approximately 5000-6000 FPM. We had a strong tailwind and a record high altitude setting of 30.94, which were working against us. As we crossed the jul VOR my compass system failed so I had to look across at the captain's RMI/HSI for course guidance while he and the second officer tried to restore my system. It was a beautiful VFR day so this wasn't a major problem. I never did get down in time to 10000' and 25 DME. I was probably 2000' high as we crossed 25 DME and the controller handed us over to approach control west/O anything further being said. I have seen this happen in the past with crossing altitude restrictions which are sometimes hard to comply with. The scenario seems to be that as long as the pilots are attempting to meet the restriction we can assume that the controller is watching us and approves of our progress, otherwise he will call and question it. Then, when he hands you over to approach control it reinforces the perception that your progress is sufficient to meet his requirements. This scenario seems to hold true time and again as relating to crossing altitude restrictions. And yet each time I can't comply exactly it gives me an uneasy feeling. I feel that I am in a position where I am counting on the controller to monitor my descent and advise me if it is not sufficient to meet his needs. The general impression I get from other pilots reinforces this theory that we can only do our best to comply and the controller will let us know if it isn't good enough. These thought processes make me wonder if something isn't getting built into the system which could prove disastrous down the road. It works ok now as long as pilots and controllers both assume the same. Maybe a little more communication could ease my uneasiness when these crossing restrictions get a little too tight. I have already decided that in the future I personally am going to do more communication with the controller in order to eliminate any element of guesswork in the system.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT FAILED TO MEET CROSSING ALT RESTRICTION.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING THE ACFT ENRTE TO MKE. AS WE WERE DSNDING INTO THE MKE AREA JUST W OF THE JVL VOR CENTER SAID THEY NEEDED US 25 E OF JVL AT 10000'. REALIZING THIS WAS GOING TO BE TIGHT I EXTENDED THE SPOILERS AND INCREASED THE RATE OF DSCNT TO APPROX 5000-6000 FPM. WE HAD A STRONG TAILWIND AND A RECORD HIGH ALT SETTING OF 30.94, WHICH WERE WORKING AGAINST US. AS WE CROSSED THE JUL VOR MY COMPASS SYS FAILED SO I HAD TO LOOK ACROSS AT THE CAPT'S RMI/HSI FOR COURSE GUIDANCE WHILE HE AND THE S/O TRIED TO RESTORE MY SYS. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL VFR DAY SO THIS WASN'T A MAJOR PROB. I NEVER DID GET DOWN IN TIME TO 10000' AND 25 DME. I WAS PROBABLY 2000' HIGH AS WE CROSSED 25 DME AND THE CTLR HANDED US OVER TO APCH CTL W/O ANYTHING FURTHER BEING SAID. I HAVE SEEN THIS HAPPEN IN THE PAST WITH XING ALT RESTRICTIONS WHICH ARE SOMETIMES HARD TO COMPLY WITH. THE SCENARIO SEEMS TO BE THAT AS LONG AS THE PLTS ARE ATTEMPTING TO MEET THE RESTRICTION WE CAN ASSUME THAT THE CTLR IS WATCHING US AND APPROVES OF OUR PROGRESS, OTHERWISE HE WILL CALL AND QUESTION IT. THEN, WHEN HE HANDS YOU OVER TO APCH CTL IT REINFORCES THE PERCEPTION THAT YOUR PROGRESS IS SUFFICIENT TO MEET HIS REQUIREMENTS. THIS SCENARIO SEEMS TO HOLD TRUE TIME AND AGAIN AS RELATING TO XING ALT RESTRICTIONS. AND YET EACH TIME I CAN'T COMPLY EXACTLY IT GIVES ME AN UNEASY FEELING. I FEEL THAT I AM IN A POS WHERE I AM COUNTING ON THE CTLR TO MONITOR MY DSCNT AND ADVISE ME IF IT IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO MEET HIS NEEDS. THE GENERAL IMPRESSION I GET FROM OTHER PLTS REINFORCES THIS THEORY THAT WE CAN ONLY DO OUR BEST TO COMPLY AND THE CTLR WILL LET US KNOW IF IT ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH. THESE THOUGHT PROCESSES MAKE ME WONDER IF SOMETHING ISN'T GETTING BUILT INTO THE SYS WHICH COULD PROVE DISASTROUS DOWN THE ROAD. IT WORKS OK NOW AS LONG AS PLTS AND CTLRS BOTH ASSUME THE SAME. MAYBE A LITTLE MORE COM COULD EASE MY UNEASINESS WHEN THESE XING RESTRICTIONS GET A LITTLE TOO TIGHT. I HAVE ALREADY DECIDED THAT IN THE FUTURE I PERSONALLY AM GOING TO DO MORE COMMUNICATION WITH THE CTLR IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE ANY ELEMENT OF GUESSWORK IN THE SYS.

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.