Narrative:

Cruising at FL350 approaching descent point on vertical navigation mode of FMS, requested lower altitude. Cleared to FL310 and told further descent after passing FL290 traffic in about 2-3 mins. Cleared to FL240 after clear of traffic and told to switch to approach control. Upon check in with approach control, cleared direct to ltown and cross at 10000 ft. I advised controller that we would do our best but might not make the restr due to the late descent clearance. Controller told us to keep him advised if we couldn't make the restr. With a maximum descent we were correcting back to our VNAV path and when controller asked us if we could make the restr with about 25 mi to go to ltown. I said yes I thought we would make it. Approximately 10 mi later VNAV (FMS) made a correction showing that we would not make the restr of ltown at 10000 ft so I advised controller and his instruction was to contact approach control on a different frequency. Upon check in with new controller he said to expect visual approach to runway 27 at memphis. We passed the ltown fix at 10800 ft and leveled at 10000 ft approximately 1.5-2.0 mi past ltown. The remainder of descent and approach and landing was normal. In the future I will advise ATC that I cannot make a restr that is that close and will request a new clearance.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MD11 IS ISSUED A XING RESTR AND ARE UNABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IT. THEY CROSS ABOUT 800 FT HIGH.

Narrative: CRUISING AT FL350 APCHING DSCNT POINT ON VERT NAV MODE OF FMS, REQUESTED LOWER ALT. CLRED TO FL310 AND TOLD FURTHER DSCNT AFTER PASSING FL290 TFC IN ABOUT 2-3 MINS. CLRED TO FL240 AFTER CLR OF TFC AND TOLD TO SWITCH TO APCH CTL. UPON CHK IN WITH APCH CTL, CLRED DIRECT TO LTOWN AND CROSS AT 10000 FT. I ADVISED CTLR THAT WE WOULD DO OUR BEST BUT MIGHT NOT MAKE THE RESTR DUE TO THE LATE DSCNT CLRNC. CTLR TOLD US TO KEEP HIM ADVISED IF WE COULDN'T MAKE THE RESTR. WITH A MAX DSCNT WE WERE CORRECTING BACK TO OUR VNAV PATH AND WHEN CTLR ASKED US IF WE COULD MAKE THE RESTR WITH ABOUT 25 MI TO GO TO LTOWN. I SAID YES I THOUGHT WE WOULD MAKE IT. APPROX 10 MI LATER VNAV (FMS) MADE A CORRECTION SHOWING THAT WE WOULD NOT MAKE THE RESTR OF LTOWN AT 10000 FT SO I ADVISED CTLR AND HIS INSTRUCTION WAS TO CONTACT APCH CTL ON A DIFFERENT FREQ. UPON CHK IN WITH NEW CTLR HE SAID TO EXPECT VISUAL APCH TO RWY 27 AT MEMPHIS. WE PASSED THE LTOWN FIX AT 10800 FT AND LEVELED AT 10000 FT APPROX 1.5-2.0 MI PAST LTOWN. THE REMAINDER OF DSCNT AND APCH AND LNDG WAS NORMAL. IN THE FUTURE I WILL ADVISE ATC THAT I CANNOT MAKE A RESTR THAT IS THAT CLOSE AND WILL REQUEST A NEW CLRNC.

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.