Narrative:

We were assigned FL290 to cross jokur at FL240. Center called and asked if we were going to make the jokur crossing at FL240. We answered affirmative because daggat and bld VOR were superimposed on the HSI. DME was 8 mi. We incorrectly interpreted 16 mi to go because tail of needle #2 had swung unnoticed resulting in only 2 mi to go. Both ZLA supervisors were contacted voluntarily and both stated there was no conflict and to disregard/excused us from crossing altitude after the fact. Also lost radio contact with center for approximately 2 mins after initial call -- could not therefore resolve conflict real time. We would have asked for 360 degree turn to descent of other acceptable course of action but unable due to controller unable to hear us and radio cutting out. No one on TCASII and no conflict reported! Supplemental information from acn 358050: prior reaching dag I switched off ATC to pick up ATIS for las. I noticed we were approximately 12 mi southwest of dag at the time. When I came back (after listening to the automatic voice for several cycles!) the first officer was saying we would make the restr.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG MISSED ALT XING RESTR WHEN 1 PLT LEFT FREQ FOR ATIS AND PF LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, THINKING THEY HAD MORE TIME TO MAKE THE RESTR.

Narrative: WE WERE ASSIGNED FL290 TO CROSS JOKUR AT FL240. CTR CALLED AND ASKED IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE THE JOKUR XING AT FL240. WE ANSWERED AFFIRMATIVE BECAUSE DAGGAT AND BLD VOR WERE SUPERIMPOSED ON THE HSI. DME WAS 8 MI. WE INCORRECTLY INTERPRETED 16 MI TO GO BECAUSE TAIL OF NEEDLE #2 HAD SWUNG UNNOTICED RESULTING IN ONLY 2 MI TO GO. BOTH ZLA SUPVRS WERE CONTACTED VOLUNTARILY AND BOTH STATED THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND TO DISREGARD/EXCUSED US FROM XING ALT AFTER THE FACT. ALSO LOST RADIO CONTACT WITH CTR FOR APPROX 2 MINS AFTER INITIAL CALL -- COULD NOT THEREFORE RESOLVE CONFLICT REAL TIME. WE WOULD HAVE ASKED FOR 360 DEG TURN TO DSCNT OF OTHER ACCEPTABLE COURSE OF ACTION BUT UNABLE DUE TO CTLR UNABLE TO HEAR US AND RADIO CUTTING OUT. NO ONE ON TCASII AND NO CONFLICT RPTED! SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 358050: PRIOR REACHING DAG I SWITCHED OFF ATC TO PICK UP ATIS FOR LAS. I NOTICED WE WERE APPROX 12 MI SW OF DAG AT THE TIME. WHEN I CAME BACK (AFTER LISTENING TO THE AUTO VOICE FOR SEVERAL CYCLES!) THE FO WAS SAYING WE WOULD MAKE THE RESTR.

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.