Flight crew of a B727 does not make the crossing restr as assigned.

Attributes
ACN	423080
Time
Date	199812
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ujm
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	423080
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer flying the aircraft on the marvel 3 arrival into mem. Cleared direct marvel with a crossing restr of 12000 ft, 4 mi northeast of marvel. Leaving cruise on the descent, I told the first officer we appeared to be high for the upcoming crossing restr, however, speed brakes were not being used at the present time. Full speed brakes would correct being high, and this profile is often used. The so had given us the landing card later than I like for a timely setup. Bug speeds were set and the approach briefed. The first officer briefed a different approach and we did not do our 'in range' checklist at FL180 as normally done. These distrs prevented my normal altitude xchking descent formula pattern, and with a 70 KTS tailwind the first officer was high. Over tammy (4 mi northeast of marvel) we were high 900 ft with a high rate of descent. The distrs mentioned could have been avoided with an earlier setup for the approach. We also had 2 cockpit jump seaters that had been engaging in much conversation on this flight. Our discussions could have been reduced. In addition, my alertness was limited due to fatigue. During our layover the previous 2 nights, I had about 10 hours total sleep. Normally, I sleep 8 hours a night. This was my first flight with this first officer as the PF, and our second flight as a crew.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B727 DOES NOT MAKE THE XING RESTR AS ASSIGNED.

Narrative: FO FLYING THE ACFT ON THE MARVEL 3 ARR INTO MEM. CLRED DIRECT MARVEL WITH A XING RESTR OF 12000 FT, 4 MI NE OF MARVEL. LEAVING CRUISE ON THE DSCNT, I TOLD THE FO WE APPEARED TO BE HIGH FOR THE UPCOMING XING RESTR, HOWEVER, SPD BRAKES WERE NOT BEING USED AT THE PRESENT TIME. FULL SPD BRAKES WOULD CORRECT BEING HIGH, AND THIS PROFILE IS OFTEN USED. THE SO HAD GIVEN US THE LNDG CARD LATER THAN I LIKE FOR A TIMELY SETUP. BUG SPDS WERE SET AND THE APCH BRIEFED. THE FO BRIEFED A DIFFERENT APCH AND WE DID NOT DO OUR 'IN RANGE' CHKLIST AT FL180 AS NORMALLY DONE. THESE DISTRS PREVENTED MY NORMAL ALT XCHKING DSCNT FORMULA PATTERN, AND WITH A 70 KTS TAILWIND THE FO WAS HIGH. OVER TAMMY (4 MI NE OF MARVEL) WE WERE HIGH 900 FT WITH A HIGH RATE OF DSCNT. THE DISTRS MENTIONED COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED WITH AN EARLIER SETUP FOR THE APCH. WE ALSO HAD 2 COCKPIT JUMP SEATERS THAT HAD BEEN ENGAGING IN MUCH CONVERSATION ON THIS FLT. OUR DISCUSSIONS COULD HAVE BEEN REDUCED. IN ADDITION, MY ALERTNESS WAS LIMITED DUE TO FATIGUE. DURING OUR LAYOVER THE PREVIOUS 2 NIGHTS, I HAD ABOUT 10 HRS TOTAL SLEEP. NORMALLY, I SLEEP 8 HRS A NIGHT. THIS WAS MY FIRST FLT WITH THIS FO AS THE PF, AND OUR SECOND FLT AS A CREW.

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.