Altitude crossing restr -- air carrier fails to make the restr.

Attributes
ACN	298142
Time
Date	199503
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ach
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 34500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	298142
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Received crossing restr to cross approach at FL310 and pilot discretion to FL270. We crossed approach at about FL345. ZAB asked what our altitude was and I confessed. We all missed it. So's attention was diverted to approach/landing data card. I was looking over flight plan reviewing approach waypoints (latitude/long) and logging in top of descent fuel/time. I don't know what our captain was doing. There were no evasive actions taken. No traffic (conflicting) in area. We began a 5000-6000 FPM/descent and were at target altitude quickly. ATC gave further instructions to continue descent to FL240 and handed us to another ATC. The problem may have been that ATC gave crossing restr to us approximately 90 mi out, making it difficult to keep it fresh in our minds. An alarm in the cockpit would be ideal to alert crew members of an approximately descent time. A great reminder! A lesson well learned. Cockpit resource management is an important part of flying. Next time I'll try to use more of it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT XING RESTR -- ACR FAILS TO MAKE THE RESTR.

Narrative: RECEIVED XING RESTR TO CROSS APCH AT FL310 AND PLT DISCRETION TO FL270. WE CROSSED APCH AT ABOUT FL345. ZAB ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS AND I CONFESSED. WE ALL MISSED IT. SO'S ATTN WAS DIVERTED TO APCH/LNDG DATA CARD. I WAS LOOKING OVER FLT PLAN REVIEWING APCH WAYPOINTS (LAT/LONG) AND LOGGING IN TOP OF DSCNT FUEL/TIME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR CAPT WAS DOING. THERE WERE NO EVASIVE ACTIONS TAKEN. NO TFC (CONFLICTING) IN AREA. WE BEGAN A 5000-6000 FPM/DSCNT AND WERE AT TARGET ALT QUICKLY. ATC GAVE FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTINUE DSCNT TO FL240 AND HANDED US TO ANOTHER ATC. THE PROB MAY HAVE BEEN THAT ATC GAVE XING RESTR TO US APPROX 90 MI OUT, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO KEEP IT FRESH IN OUR MINDS. AN ALARM IN THE COCKPIT WOULD BE IDEAL TO ALERT CREW MEMBERS OF AN APPROX DSCNT TIME. A GREAT REMINDER! A LESSON WELL LEARNED. COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF FLYING. NEXT TIME I'LL TRY TO USE MORE OF IT.

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.