Narrative:

Before letdown, captain left ATC frequency to obtain iah ATIS information and make in-range call to company. While captain was off ATC frequency first officer received clearance to cross bumby at 10000 ft. First officer misinterpreted the clearance to be genbe at 10000 ft and set the FMC and mode control panel for that clearance. Captain was briefed by the first officer on the clearance. Normal flight procedures were followed and in-range checklist done. No problem was noted until ATC asked if we would be able to make 10000 ft at 35 DME northeast of iah and then advised of what the correct clearance had been. All drag was used but it was impossible to make the crossing restr at that point and resulted in crossing the fix high. Flight continued with no further problems. A possible way to prevent this situation from occurring in the future on 2 pilot aircraft would be to have the pilot off frequency briefed on any clearance received and then have that pilot verify the clearance with ATC. Supplemental information from acn 304698: after several clearance changes, finally cleared to cross bumby intersection on batsn 3 arrival into iah at 250 KTS and 10000 ft. I must have entered the altitude next to the 250 KT speed in the database for genbe intersection. Even though we were busy, I should have double-checked my entry in the FMS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC FAILED TO MAKE A XING RESTR. FO (PF) RECEIVED THE CLRNC WHILE CAPT (PNF) WAS OFF FREQ, AND SET FMC AND MODE CTL PANEL INCORRECTLY. CAPT DID NOT DETECT ERROR IN FO'S BRIEFING, AND ATC INTERVENED.

Narrative: BEFORE LETDOWN, CAPT LEFT ATC FREQ TO OBTAIN IAH ATIS INFO AND MAKE IN-RANGE CALL TO COMPANY. WHILE CAPT WAS OFF ATC FREQ FO RECEIVED CLRNC TO CROSS BUMBY AT 10000 FT. FO MISINTERPRETED THE CLRNC TO BE GENBE AT 10000 FT AND SET THE FMC AND MODE CTL PANEL FOR THAT CLRNC. CAPT WAS BRIEFED BY THE FO ON THE CLRNC. NORMAL FLT PROCS WERE FOLLOWED AND IN-RANGE CHKLIST DONE. NO PROB WAS NOTED UNTIL ATC ASKED IF WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE 10000 FT AT 35 DME NE OF IAH AND THEN ADVISED OF WHAT THE CORRECT CLRNC HAD BEEN. ALL DRAG WAS USED BUT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE THE XING RESTR AT THAT POINT AND RESULTED IN XING THE FIX HIGH. FLT CONTINUED WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. A POSSIBLE WAY TO PREVENT THIS SIT FROM OCCURRING IN THE FUTURE ON 2 PLT ACFT WOULD BE TO HAVE THE PLT OFF FREQ BRIEFED ON ANY CLRNC RECEIVED AND THEN HAVE THAT PLT VERIFY THE CLRNC WITH ATC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 304698: AFTER SEVERAL CLRNC CHANGES, FINALLY CLRED TO CROSS BUMBY INTXN ON BATSN 3 ARR INTO IAH AT 250 KTS AND 10000 FT. I MUST HAVE ENTERED THE ALT NEXT TO THE 250 KT SPD IN THE DATABASE FOR GENBE INTXN. EVEN THOUGH WE WERE BUSY, I SHOULD HAVE DOUBLE-CHKED MY ENTRY IN THE FMS.

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.