Narrative:

Aircraft, a da-20 on IFR flight plan from stl to yip, FL290. Routing direct fwa, V221 lfd, cruxx 2 arrival. Aircraft was then cleared direct lfd VOR by next ZAU controller. Controller then issued a descent clearance of pilots discretion out of FL290 to cross 70 mi ssw of lfd VOR at FL240. Aircraft was approximately 120 mi ssw at time clearance was given. Aircraft gndspd was approximately 480 KTS. Lfd VOR frequency is 111.20, has DME and is categorized as a low VOR. We use the VOR extensively on a day to day basis and are familiar with the fact that the VOR is weak and the needles scallop until a strong signal is reached from the station about 70-80 mi out. DME on station normal comes alive at about 90 mi. Aircraft descent profile was 3:1, 5000 ft to lose X 3 = 15 mi aircraft descent was proposed 85 mi out of lfd to make 70 mi crossing restr at FL240. Clearance initial was given when aircraft was 120 mi ssw of lfd, aircraft had 35 mi to go before started to descent. Although at this time the station was still only giving us a navigational flag. Crewmembers were alerted approximately to 70 mi ssw of lfd about crossing restr again. Captain deployed speed brakes and initiated a maximum descent, approximately 8000 FPM, to get to assigned altitude of FL240 as rapidly as possible, descent was commenced approximately 64 mi ssw at lfd, which was 6 mi later than original crossing restr. ZAU controller gave no evidence that there was any type of conflict with traffic and the issue was dropped. I believe that fatigue was a contributing factor to this altitude restr. Crewmembers were ferrying aircraft home after completing a sixteen hour day which resulted in a complete night's sleep lost the previous night. I feel that my fatigue led me to be slightly complacent and not react with the sharpness that I normally demonstrate in the cockpit.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC MISSES ALT XING ASSIGNMENT.

Narrative: ACFT, A DA-20 ON IFR FLT PLAN FROM STL TO YIP, FL290. ROUTING DIRECT FWA, V221 LFD, CRUXX 2 ARR. ACFT WAS THEN CLRED DIRECT LFD VOR BY NEXT ZAU CTLR. CTLR THEN ISSUED A DSCNT CLRNC OF PLTS DISCRETION OUT OF FL290 TO CROSS 70 MI SSW OF LFD VOR AT FL240. ACFT WAS APPROX 120 MI SSW AT TIME CLRNC WAS GIVEN. ACFT GNDSPD WAS APPROX 480 KTS. LFD VOR FREQ IS 111.20, HAS DME AND IS CATEGORIZED AS A LOW VOR. WE USE THE VOR EXTENSIVELY ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS AND ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE FACT THAT THE VOR IS WEAK AND THE NEEDLES SCALLOP UNTIL A STRONG SIGNAL IS REACHED FROM THE STATION ABOUT 70-80 MI OUT. DME ON STATION NORMAL COMES ALIVE AT ABOUT 90 MI. ACFT DSCNT PROFILE WAS 3:1, 5000 FT TO LOSE X 3 = 15 MI ACFT DSCNT WAS PROPOSED 85 MI OUT OF LFD TO MAKE 70 MI XING RESTR AT FL240. CLRNC INITIAL WAS GIVEN WHEN ACFT WAS 120 MI SSW OF LFD, ACFT HAD 35 MI TO GO BEFORE STARTED TO DSCNT. ALTHOUGH AT THIS TIME THE STATION WAS STILL ONLY GIVING US A NAVIGATIONAL FLAG. CREWMEMBERS WERE ALERTED APPROX TO 70 MI SSW OF LFD ABOUT XING RESTR AGAIN. CAPT DEPLOYED SPD BRAKES AND INITIATED A MAX DSCNT, APPROX 8000 FPM, TO GET TO ASSIGNED ALT OF FL240 AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE, DSCNT WAS COMMENCED APPROX 64 MI SSW AT LFD, WHICH WAS 6 MI LATER THAN ORIGINAL XING RESTR. ZAU CTLR GAVE NO EVIDENCE THAT THERE WAS ANY TYPE OF CONFLICT WITH TFC AND THE ISSUE WAS DROPPED. I BELIEVE THAT FATIGUE WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THIS ALT RESTR. CREWMEMBERS WERE FERRYING ACFT HOME AFTER COMPLETING A SIXTEEN HR DAY WHICH RESULTED IN A COMPLETE NIGHT'S SLEEP LOST THE PREVIOUS NIGHT. I FEEL THAT MY FATIGUE LED ME TO BE SLIGHTLY COMPLACENT AND NOT REACT WITH THE SHARPNESS THAT I NORMALLY DEMONSTRATE IN THE COCKPIT.

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.