An large transport missed its crossing altitude on descent.

Attributes
ACN	222182
Time
Date	199209
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : ztl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	222182
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared to cross 30 north atl at 14000. Crossed 30 north atl at 15000 level 14000 at 33 mi north. Contributing factors: late clearance by ATC, but not unreasonable and certainly in the window of what we all do -- just min time. Copilot was flying and had already switched to cha VOR. He initially mistook cha DME for atl DME and was not thinking he needed to hurry. As we were approaching the DME fix, I kept calling out 15 mi to go, 10 to go, 5 to go, etc. In retrospect, this was only confusing the first officer, as he was looking at cha DME. The whole thing really was due to poor communication, i.e., what I thought was not what he thought. We had been flying together all month so, in retrospect, I'm sure a degree of complacency existed. Lessons learned: better communication on my part, i.e., verbalize clrncs with the crew so we all understand, and perhaps a little less 'rope.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LGT MISSED ITS XING ALT ON DSCNT.

Narrative: CLRED TO CROSS 30 N ATL AT 14000. CROSSED 30 N ATL AT 15000 LEVEL 14000 AT 33 MI N. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: LATE CLRNC BY ATC, BUT NOT UNREASONABLE AND CERTAINLY IN THE WINDOW OF WHAT WE ALL DO -- JUST MIN TIME. COPLT WAS FLYING AND HAD ALREADY SWITCHED TO CHA VOR. HE INITIALLY MISTOOK CHA DME FOR ATL DME AND WAS NOT THINKING HE NEEDED TO HURRY. AS WE WERE APCHING THE DME FIX, I KEPT CALLING OUT 15 MI TO GO, 10 TO GO, 5 TO GO, ETC. IN RETROSPECT, THIS WAS ONLY CONFUSING THE FO, AS HE WAS LOOKING AT CHA DME. THE WHOLE THING REALLY WAS DUE TO POOR COM, I.E., WHAT I THOUGHT WAS NOT WHAT HE THOUGHT. WE HAD BEEN FLYING TOGETHER ALL MONTH SO, IN RETROSPECT, I'M SURE A DEG OF COMPLACENCY EXISTED. LESSONS LEARNED: BETTER COM ON MY PART, I.E., VERBALIZE CLRNCS WITH THE CREW SO WE ALL UNDERSTAND, AND PERHAPS A LITTLE LESS 'ROPE.'

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.