Narrative:

En route to clt on the unarm 1 arrival. Had begun descent and passing grd, told by ATC center to cross adena intersection at 12000 ft and 250 KTS. Checked the arrival chart and noted that adena was 40 DME from clt. Tuned the first officer's VOR to clt but did not receive clt DME. Glanced back at the chart and thought adena was 59 DME from grd. Clt DME finally started being received at approximately 47 DME. I was still at approximately 17000 ft. I immediately rechked the chart and realized that I had misread it. The 59 DME from grd was actually the locks intersection. I immediately nosed over to increase the descent and used speed brakes but I knew I couldn't make the restr. Told first officer to advise approach control (we had been switched from ATC center to clt approach). He could not get a word in until approximately 43 DME. Approach just said, 'okay, give me your best rate down and then slow to 250 KTS.' I missed the restr by approximately 3-4 mi. 2 contributing factors were being unable to receive the clt DME. (Don't know why), and chart clutter. The adena intersection is defined from the clt VOR, but the locks intersection is off the grd VOR yet it is closer to clt than grd. Had locks been defined off clt or adena off grd, I would probably not have misread the chart. Additionally, I should have told the first officer to double check my interpretation of adena off grd. At the time, he was preoccupied with why he was not receiving the clt DME.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG MISSED ITS ALT RESTR.

Narrative: ENRTE TO CLT ON THE UNARM 1 ARR. HAD BEGUN DSCNT AND PASSING GRD, TOLD BY ATC CTR TO CROSS ADENA INTXN AT 12000 FT AND 250 KTS. CHKED THE ARR CHART AND NOTED THAT ADENA WAS 40 DME FROM CLT. TUNED THE FO'S VOR TO CLT BUT DID NOT RECEIVE CLT DME. GLANCED BACK AT THE CHART AND THOUGHT ADENA WAS 59 DME FROM GRD. CLT DME FINALLY STARTED BEING RECEIVED AT APPROX 47 DME. I WAS STILL AT APPROX 17000 FT. I IMMEDIATELY RECHKED THE CHART AND REALIZED THAT I HAD MISREAD IT. THE 59 DME FROM GRD WAS ACTUALLY THE LOCKS INTXN. I IMMEDIATELY NOSED OVER TO INCREASE THE DSCNT AND USED SPD BRAKES BUT I KNEW I COULDN'T MAKE THE RESTR. TOLD FO TO ADVISE APCH CTL (WE HAD BEEN SWITCHED FROM ATC CTR TO CLT APCH). HE COULD NOT GET A WORD IN UNTIL APPROX 43 DME. APCH JUST SAID, 'OKAY, GIVE ME YOUR BEST RATE DOWN AND THEN SLOW TO 250 KTS.' I MISSED THE RESTR BY APPROX 3-4 MI. 2 CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE BEING UNABLE TO RECEIVE THE CLT DME. (DON'T KNOW WHY), AND CHART CLUTTER. THE ADENA INTXN IS DEFINED FROM THE CLT VOR, BUT THE LOCKS INTXN IS OFF THE GRD VOR YET IT IS CLOSER TO CLT THAN GRD. HAD LOCKS BEEN DEFINED OFF CLT OR ADENA OFF GRD, I WOULD PROBABLY NOT HAVE MISREAD THE CHART. ADDITIONALLY, I SHOULD HAVE TOLD THE FO TO DOUBLE CHK MY INTERP OF ADENA OFF GRD. AT THE TIME, HE WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH WHY HE WAS NOT RECEIVING THE CLT DME.

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.