ATC crossing restr too late for compliance.

Attributes
ACN	315555
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : iah
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 4200
ASRS Report	315555
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were cleared direct gland intersection, gland arrival, iah approach. There was a thunderstorm over gland intersection, so center cleared us direct to iah VOR. We were at 21000 ft at about 58 DME descending FL190 at 280 KTS for turbulence. At approximately 52 DME center said cleared to descend to 10000 ft, cross 40 southwest iah at 10000 ft. We looked at our DME. At this time we were at about 19500 ft when we acknowledged. This above clearance 9000 plus ft to lose in approximately 11-12 mi, no way. We told center unable. He said disregard the speed at gland of 250 KTS. We picked up speed to our vmo 340 KTS and we had the speed brake out. We did this when he had originally given us the clearance to 10000 ft. We told him again at 44 DME we were approximately 13400 ft MSL, that we were unable. 40 DME at 10000 ft he said disregard the speed at gland intersection. We couldn't descend any faster and we didn't get level at 10000 ft till 35 DME. The controller asked us to report level 10000 ft which we did at 35 DME. We were never given lower altitude until we were too close to that restr. We were being stepped down due to company flight that was ahead of us. This aircraft does not come down like a B727. Controllers need to remember the new aircraft with the new wings with less sweep can come down so fast, 5000-6000 ft tops at vmo. Give us a slow speed and the rate really slows down.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC XING RESTR TOO LATE FOR COMPLIANCE.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED DIRECT GLAND INTXN, GLAND ARR, IAH APCH. THERE WAS A TSTM OVER GLAND INTXN, SO CTR CLRED US DIRECT TO IAH VOR. WE WERE AT 21000 FT AT ABOUT 58 DME DSNDING FL190 AT 280 KTS FOR TURB. AT APPROX 52 DME CTR SAID CLRED TO DSND TO 10000 FT, CROSS 40 SW IAH AT 10000 FT. WE LOOKED AT OUR DME. AT THIS TIME WE WERE AT ABOUT 19500 FT WHEN WE ACKNOWLEDGED. THIS ABOVE CLRNC 9000 PLUS FT TO LOSE IN APPROX 11-12 MI, NO WAY. WE TOLD CTR UNABLE. HE SAID DISREGARD THE SPD AT GLAND OF 250 KTS. WE PICKED UP SPD TO OUR VMO 340 KTS AND WE HAD THE SPD BRAKE OUT. WE DID THIS WHEN HE HAD ORIGINALLY GIVEN US THE CLRNC TO 10000 FT. WE TOLD HIM AGAIN AT 44 DME WE WERE APPROX 13400 FT MSL, THAT WE WERE UNABLE. 40 DME AT 10000 FT HE SAID DISREGARD THE SPD AT GLAND INTXN. WE COULDN'T DSND ANY FASTER AND WE DIDN'T GET LEVEL AT 10000 FT TILL 35 DME. THE CTLR ASKED US TO RPT LEVEL 10000 FT WHICH WE DID AT 35 DME. WE WERE NEVER GIVEN LOWER ALT UNTIL WE WERE TOO CLOSE TO THAT RESTR. WE WERE BEING STEPPED DOWN DUE TO COMPANY FLT THAT WAS AHEAD OF US. THIS ACFT DOES NOT COME DOWN LIKE A B727. CTLRS NEED TO REMEMBER THE NEW ACFT WITH THE NEW WINGS WITH LESS SWEEP CAN COME DOWN SO FAST, 5000-6000 FT TOPS AT VMO. GIVE US A SLOW SPD AND THE RATE REALLY SLOWS DOWN.

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.