Widebody transport flight crew misses crossing restriction.

Attributes
ACN	181368
Time
Date	199106
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mkg
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 53 flight time total : 7750 flight time type : 315
ASRS Report	181368
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight was en route to dtw at FL370. Just after passing mkg VOR, flight was cleared to descend to cross 40 mi east of mkg at FL240. We began our descent and the captain entered into the FMC the crossing point with the altitude restriction. Passing through FL290, center asked us if we were going to make our restriction, since we were already 45 east of the mkg VOR. We apologized and increased our descent rate to FL240, and switched to assigned frequency. We had somehow entered the wrong information into the FMC. In my opinion, there was too much reliance on the black boxes to successfully plan our descent. Furthermore, we did not back up our FMC navigation. If I had simply tuned in the mkg VOR/DME, I would have been able to realize by looking at the DME that we were not going to make the 40 mi restriction. Too much complacency with the FMC navigation. Never again!!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB FLT CREW MISSES CROSSING RESTRICTION.

Narrative: FLT WAS ENRTE TO DTW AT FL370. JUST AFTER PASSING MKG VOR, FLT WAS CLRED TO DSND TO CROSS 40 MI E OF MKG AT FL240. WE BEGAN OUR DSNT AND THE CAPT ENTERED INTO THE FMC THE XING POINT WITH THE ALT RESTRICTION. PASSING THROUGH FL290, CENTER ASKED US IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE OUR RESTRICTION, SINCE WE WERE ALREADY 45 E OF THE MKG VOR. WE APOLOGIZED AND INCREASED OUR DSNT RATE TO FL240, AND SWITCHED TO ASSIGNED FREQ. WE HAD SOMEHOW ENTERED THE WRONG INFO INTO THE FMC. IN MY OPINION, THERE WAS TOO MUCH RELIANCE ON THE BLACK BOXES TO SUCCESSFULLY PLAN OUR DSNT. FURTHERMORE, WE DID NOT BACK UP OUR FMC NAV. IF I HAD SIMPLY TUNED IN THE MKG VOR/DME, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REALIZE BY LOOKING AT THE DME THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE THE 40 MI RESTRICTION. TOO MUCH COMPLACENCY WITH THE FMC NAV. NEVER AGAIN!!

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