Narrative:

We were late coming into mem at approximately XA00, cruising at FL330 (.84 mach, approximately 305 KIAS). We seemed to be at the end of a small number of aircraft approaching mem on the gqe arrival. Just prior to descent we were vectored south and asked to slow 20 KTS. Slowed to 285 KIAS. Subsequently turned back to gqe and given normal speed. Descent planning had been predicated on no speed restrs. Started descent and used .80 mach, 320 KIAS vice normal .84 mach, 340 KIAS to help out the spacing. After descent began, ATC slowed us to 280 KIAS and subsequently to 250 KIAS. Speed brakes were used almost continuously from the 280 KT request by ATC to keep the aircraft on profile to meet the 10000 ft restr at gqe. Passing FL180 the aircraft was just barely on a profile to make the altitude restr. I was considering lowering the gear to aid in descent. Shortly after the FL180 checklist was accomplished, ATC relayed that expected runway would be runway 9 vice previously assigned runway 36L, causing momentary distraction to retrieve ILS runway 9 plate. Quick check of ILS runway 9 plate followed to note pertinent changes. First officer noted proximity to gqe, passing approximately 13000 ft. I concurred and requested landing gear down. Estimate passing gqe at approximately 11500 ft vice 10000 ft, no conflict with other aircraft. Flight continued uneventfully to landing runway 9 at mem. As both captain and PF, I should have been more concerned with flying the aircraft and meeting the restr at gqe, let the crew deal with the runway change and I could have doublechked the plate after gqe and the turn to mem. Also, I should have lowered the gear or asked for relief from ATC in the 16000-17000 ft regime when the aircraft was just barely making the descent profile at the reduced airspeed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT UNDERSHOT IN DSCNT. ALT XING RESTR NOT MET.

Narrative: WE WERE LATE COMING INTO MEM AT APPROX XA00, CRUISING AT FL330 (.84 MACH, APPROX 305 KIAS). WE SEEMED TO BE AT THE END OF A SMALL NUMBER OF ACFT APCHING MEM ON THE GQE ARR. JUST PRIOR TO DSCNT WE WERE VECTORED S AND ASKED TO SLOW 20 KTS. SLOWED TO 285 KIAS. SUBSEQUENTLY TURNED BACK TO GQE AND GIVEN NORMAL SPD. DSCNT PLANNING HAD BEEN PREDICATED ON NO SPD RESTRS. STARTED DSCNT AND USED .80 MACH, 320 KIAS VICE NORMAL .84 MACH, 340 KIAS TO HELP OUT THE SPACING. AFTER DSCNT BEGAN, ATC SLOWED US TO 280 KIAS AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO 250 KIAS. SPD BRAKES WERE USED ALMOST CONTINUOUSLY FROM THE 280 KT REQUEST BY ATC TO KEEP THE ACFT ON PROFILE TO MEET THE 10000 FT RESTR AT GQE. PASSING FL180 THE ACFT WAS JUST BARELY ON A PROFILE TO MAKE THE ALT RESTR. I WAS CONSIDERING LOWERING THE GEAR TO AID IN DSCNT. SHORTLY AFTER THE FL180 CHKLIST WAS ACCOMPLISHED, ATC RELAYED THAT EXPECTED RWY WOULD BE RWY 9 VICE PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED RWY 36L, CAUSING MOMENTARY DISTR TO RETRIEVE ILS RWY 9 PLATE. QUICK CHK OF ILS RWY 9 PLATE FOLLOWED TO NOTE PERTINENT CHANGES. FO NOTED PROX TO GQE, PASSING APPROX 13000 FT. I CONCURRED AND REQUESTED LNDG GEAR DOWN. ESTIMATE PASSING GQE AT APPROX 11500 FT VICE 10000 FT, NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT. FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY TO LNDG RWY 9 AT MEM. AS BOTH CAPT AND PF, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CONCERNED WITH FLYING THE ACFT AND MEETING THE RESTR AT GQE, LET THE CREW DEAL WITH THE RWY CHANGE AND I COULD HAVE DOUBLECHKED THE PLATE AFTER GQE AND THE TURN TO MEM. ALSO, I SHOULD HAVE LOWERED THE GEAR OR ASKED FOR RELIEF FROM ATC IN THE 16000-17000 FT REGIME WHEN THE ACFT WAS JUST BARELY MAKING THE DSCNT PROFILE AT THE REDUCED AIRSPD.

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.