Narrative:

We had already been issued a descent clearance from ZDC to descend to 17000 ft. We were eastbound, direct ric VOR, and descending through about FL230 to our clearance altitude of 17000 ft when center gave us a new clearance of 'cross 40 mi west of richmond at 9000 ft.' I acknowledged the clearance on the radio, and awaited the captain (PF) to reset the altitude select panel on the glareshield autoplt control panel. He was busy with the FMC keyboard, typing in the altitude opposite ric on the navigation page of the FMC. Thinking he was done, and (I assume) seeing the altitude leveloff prediction symbol on the EFIS map display in a proper location, 40 mi west of richmond, he sat back unconcerned. At this point I dialed in 9000 ft on the altitude select panel (not normal procedure) and pointed out that the leveloff prediction in the FMC was looking at 17000 ft not 9000 ft. We were going to be high! At this point he deployed the speed brake and changed autoplt mode to vertical speed, then tried to engage level change (idle descent), got the speed about 5 KTS over vmo, nose down minus 12 degrees etc. Basically an ineffective, haphazard attempt to get the job done. During all this excitement, I said about 4 times, 'we're gonna be high,' 'we're gonna bust the altitude' etc. If it weren't for the need, to slow at 10000 ft to 250 KTS we might have made it. As it turned out, at the 40 mi fix, we were at around 9500 ft descending at about 100 FPM. No, I didn't take control of the airplane - - he wasn't going to kill me. But I'll tell you what -- I'm tired of worrying about these guy's egos. The next time I'm in one of these sits, I'm picking up the microphone and saying 'center, unable the 40 mi west at 9000 ft.' and if someone's feelings are hurt -- too bad! I'm tired of sitting on the edge of my seat being a spectator while someone flies poorly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT XING RESTR NOT MET IN DSCNT.

Narrative: WE HAD ALREADY BEEN ISSUED A DSCNT CLRNC FROM ZDC TO DSND TO 17000 FT. WE WERE EBOUND, DIRECT RIC VOR, AND DSNDING THROUGH ABOUT FL230 TO OUR CLRNC ALT OF 17000 FT WHEN CTR GAVE US A NEW CLRNC OF 'CROSS 40 MI W OF RICHMOND AT 9000 FT.' I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC ON THE RADIO, AND AWAITED THE CAPT (PF) TO RESET THE ALT SELECT PANEL ON THE GLARESHIELD AUTOPLT CTL PANEL. HE WAS BUSY WITH THE FMC KEYBOARD, TYPING IN THE ALT OPPOSITE RIC ON THE NAV PAGE OF THE FMC. THINKING HE WAS DONE, AND (I ASSUME) SEEING THE ALT LEVELOFF PREDICTION SYMBOL ON THE EFIS MAP DISPLAY IN A PROPER LOCATION, 40 MI W OF RICHMOND, HE SAT BACK UNCONCERNED. AT THIS POINT I DIALED IN 9000 FT ON THE ALT SELECT PANEL (NOT NORMAL PROC) AND POINTED OUT THAT THE LEVELOFF PREDICTION IN THE FMC WAS LOOKING AT 17000 FT NOT 9000 FT. WE WERE GOING TO BE HIGH! AT THIS POINT HE DEPLOYED THE SPD BRAKE AND CHANGED AUTOPLT MODE TO VERT SPD, THEN TRIED TO ENGAGE LEVEL CHANGE (IDLE DSCNT), GOT THE SPD ABOUT 5 KTS OVER VMO, NOSE DOWN MINUS 12 DEGS ETC. BASICALLY AN INEFFECTIVE, HAPHAZARD ATTEMPT TO GET THE JOB DONE. DURING ALL THIS EXCITEMENT, I SAID ABOUT 4 TIMES, 'WE'RE GONNA BE HIGH,' 'WE'RE GONNA BUST THE ALT' ETC. IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE NEED, TO SLOW AT 10000 FT TO 250 KTS WE MIGHT HAVE MADE IT. AS IT TURNED OUT, AT THE 40 MI FIX, WE WERE AT AROUND 9500 FT DSNDING AT ABOUT 100 FPM. NO, I DIDN'T TAKE CTL OF THE AIRPLANE - - HE WASN'T GOING TO KILL ME. BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT -- I'M TIRED OF WORRYING ABOUT THESE GUY'S EGOS. THE NEXT TIME I'M IN ONE OF THESE SITS, I'M PICKING UP THE MIKE AND SAYING 'CTR, UNABLE THE 40 MI W AT 9000 FT.' AND IF SOMEONE'S FEELINGS ARE HURT -- TOO BAD! I'M TIRED OF SITTING ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT BEING A SPECTATOR WHILE SOMEONE FLIES POORLY.

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.