A B737 PIC fails to make an altitude crossing restr when he allows himself to be distraction.

Attributes
ACN	403270
Time
Date	199805
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mkg
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 23800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : zau
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	403270
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route den-dtw FL270. B737 assigned by ATC to cross 40 mi east mkg at FL230. Was on radar vector to polar (POLAR1.dtw). Received crossing approximately 40-50 mi west of mkg. Planned descent point was 28 mi east of mkg. Attention was diverted by a frequency change and started down late (33 DME). During a rather rapid descent, I misread altimeter by 1000 ft and started premature leveloff causing the 40 mi crossing to be missed 800 ft high. Problem arose by me allowing my attention to be diverted by frequency change at a critical time. I should have allowed myself more distance/time in planning the descent. Contributing factor might have been fatigue. Was at the end of a long day -- 12 hours 50 mins of scheduled duty time, 7 hours 59 mins hard time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 PIC FAILS TO MAKE AN ALT XING RESTR WHEN HE ALLOWS HIMSELF TO BE DISTR.

Narrative: ENRTE DEN-DTW FL270. B737 ASSIGNED BY ATC TO CROSS 40 MI E MKG AT FL230. WAS ON RADAR VECTOR TO POLAR (POLAR1.DTW). RECEIVED XING APPROX 40-50 MI W OF MKG. PLANNED DSCNT POINT WAS 28 MI E OF MKG. ATTN WAS DIVERTED BY A FREQ CHANGE AND STARTED DOWN LATE (33 DME). DURING A RATHER RAPID DSCNT, I MISREAD ALTIMETER BY 1000 FT AND STARTED PREMATURE LEVELOFF CAUSING THE 40 MI XING TO BE MISSED 800 FT HIGH. PROB AROSE BY ME ALLOWING MY ATTN TO BE DIVERTED BY FREQ CHANGE AT A CRITICAL TIME. I SHOULD HAVE ALLOWED MYSELF MORE DISTANCE/TIME IN PLANNING THE DSCNT. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR MIGHT HAVE BEEN FATIGUE. WAS AT THE END OF A LONG DAY -- 12 HRS 50 MINS OF SCHEDULED DUTY TIME, 7 HRS 59 MINS HARD TIME.

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.