Medium large transport flight crew fails to make crossing restr.

Attributes
ACN	335970
Time
Date	199605
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oed
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 320 flight time total : 13530 flight time type : 1150
ASRS Report	335970
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
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Center delayed our descent and had a tailwind. Captain dialed in pdx VOR which is an additional 10 mi, while I was off talking to operations. He failed to realize he was going long on crossing moxee at 10000 ft. Aircraft did not have performance management system (which he uses and relies on a lot). When I returned from calling operations I realized we would be 'high' at moxee. I immediately called the center and advised 'will be unable moxee at 10000 ft.' center advised do the best you can and gave us vector to east. Ended up crossing 40 DME fix about 2500 ft high. Human factors, altitude awareness and maintaining 3 to 1 profile is essential. Many pilots don't want to get down 3 mi early because the jet uses more fuel down low. So they delay descent until last possible min. I believe 3 mi early is better than 1 mi late. Captain should have advised me that he had changed my navigation for another frequency. Center should be more vigilant in allowing aircraft to make 3 to 1 profile rather than giving crossing restr and crew having to resort to non-standard descent 5000 FPM with speed brake to make the crossing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLC FAILS TO MAKE XING RESTR.

Narrative: CTR DELAYED OUR DSCNT AND HAD A TAILWIND. CAPT DIALED IN PDX VOR WHICH IS AN ADDITIONAL 10 MI, WHILE I WAS OFF TALKING TO OPS. HE FAILED TO REALIZE HE WAS GOING LONG ON XING MOXEE AT 10000 FT. ACFT DID NOT HAVE PERFORMANCE MGMNT SYS (WHICH HE USES AND RELIES ON A LOT). WHEN I RETURNED FROM CALLING OPS I REALIZED WE WOULD BE 'HIGH' AT MOXEE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE CTR AND ADVISED 'WILL BE UNABLE MOXEE AT 10000 FT.' CTR ADVISED DO THE BEST YOU CAN AND GAVE US VECTOR TO E. ENDED UP XING 40 DME FIX ABOUT 2500 FT HIGH. HUMAN FACTORS, ALT AWARENESS AND MAINTAINING 3 TO 1 PROFILE IS ESSENTIAL. MANY PLTS DON'T WANT TO GET DOWN 3 MI EARLY BECAUSE THE JET USES MORE FUEL DOWN LOW. SO THEY DELAY DSCNT UNTIL LAST POSSIBLE MIN. I BELIEVE 3 MI EARLY IS BETTER THAN 1 MI LATE. CAPT SHOULD HAVE ADVISED ME THAT HE HAD CHANGED MY NAV FOR ANOTHER FREQ. CTR SHOULD BE MORE VIGILANT IN ALLOWING ACFT TO MAKE 3 TO 1 PROFILE RATHER THAN GIVING XING RESTR AND CREW HAVING TO RESORT TO NON-STANDARD DSCNT 5000 FPM WITH SPD BRAKE TO MAKE THE XING.

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.