Narrative:

We were cruising at FL330. The controller gave us a clearance to cross 55 NM west of mrb at FL250. Shortly before, the copilot had left the cockpit to visit the restroom. The copilot was flying and I was filling out a report. After the copilot left, I continued filling out the report with the autoplt on, and also noticed that my VOR was not locking onto mrb, while I was glancing at the arrival trying to calculate the mileage for the crossing restr. I continued to fill out the report. I could not get a proper lock on mrb, so I began the descent anyway. I asked the controller if mrb was operating properly and also stated that I still was not receiving the VOR. Passing through FL310, I realized that I was only 10 NM from the crossing point and could not make the restr. The controller said to just descend to 15000 ft in 50 mi. At about this time the copilot returned to the cockpit. I descended to meet this restr in plenty of time. Upon landing, I wrote up the VOR for not channelizing to the frequency shown in the indicating window. In order to help prevent this type of occurrence, I recommend that with 1 person in the cockpit, that person solely devote himself to flying the airplane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG CREW WAS UNABLE TO MAKE ITS XING RESTR. THE ONLY PLT IN THE COCKPIT WAS DOING PAPERWORK.

Narrative: WE WERE CRUISING AT FL330. THE CTLR GAVE US A CLRNC TO CROSS 55 NM W OF MRB AT FL250. SHORTLY BEFORE, THE COPLT HAD LEFT THE COCKPIT TO VISIT THE RESTROOM. THE COPLT WAS FLYING AND I WAS FILLING OUT A RPT. AFTER THE COPLT LEFT, I CONTINUED FILLING OUT THE RPT WITH THE AUTOPLT ON, AND ALSO NOTICED THAT MY VOR WAS NOT LOCKING ONTO MRB, WHILE I WAS GLANCING AT THE ARR TRYING TO CALCULATE THE MILEAGE FOR THE XING RESTR. I CONTINUED TO FILL OUT THE RPT. I COULD NOT GET A PROPER LOCK ON MRB, SO I BEGAN THE DSCNT ANYWAY. I ASKED THE CTLR IF MRB WAS OPERATING PROPERLY AND ALSO STATED THAT I STILL WAS NOT RECEIVING THE VOR. PASSING THROUGH FL310, I REALIZED THAT I WAS ONLY 10 NM FROM THE XING POINT AND COULD NOT MAKE THE RESTR. THE CTLR SAID TO JUST DSND TO 15000 FT IN 50 MI. AT ABOUT THIS TIME THE COPLT RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT. I DSNDED TO MEET THIS RESTR IN PLENTY OF TIME. UPON LNDG, I WROTE UP THE VOR FOR NOT CHANNELIZING TO THE FREQ SHOWN IN THE INDICATING WINDOW. IN ORDER TO HELP PREVENT THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE, I RECOMMEND THAT WITH 1 PERSON IN THE COCKPIT, THAT PERSON SOLELY DEVOTE HIMSELF TO FLYING THE AIRPLANE.

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.