Narrative:

Cruising at FL310, en route from phx-slc, clearance issued by ATC for us to cross 20 NM south of ffu VOR at 15000 ft. First officer (PF) commenced descent 70 NM south of NAVAID. Satisfied by where descent was initiated, I began reviewing material for approach and landing. Approximately 4 mins later, I checked the status of our descent and saw we were now 20 NM from our crossing restr, passing FL270, and we clearly would not make our restr. We'd had a crosswind at FL310 that had swung around to become a 60 KT tailwind, and apparently the first officer had been studying approach material at the same time I was. He'd started down with a 1000 FPM descent rate and had not adjusted it. I immediately called for speed brakes up and maximum descent rate. Momentarily, ATC asked us if we would make the restr, and I said probably not. Controller said, give it our best rate. At the crossing restr we were passing about 17500 ft, 2500 ft high. No loss of separation was indicated by ATC. Lessons I learned: 1) make sure descent rate is established to make restrs before shifting attention to other duties. 2) closely monitor aircraft performance every few seconds, not every few mins, while performing other duties.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD90 CREW MISSES XING RESTR ON DSCNT IN ZLC AIRSPACE.

Narrative: CRUISING AT FL310, ENRTE FROM PHX-SLC, CLRNC ISSUED BY ATC FOR US TO CROSS 20 NM S OF FFU VOR AT 15000 FT. FO (PF) COMMENCED DSCNT 70 NM S OF NAVAID. SATISFIED BY WHERE DSCNT WAS INITIATED, I BEGAN REVIEWING MATERIAL FOR APCH AND LNDG. APPROX 4 MINS LATER, I CHKED THE STATUS OF OUR DSCNT AND SAW WE WERE NOW 20 NM FROM OUR XING RESTR, PASSING FL270, AND WE CLRLY WOULD NOT MAKE OUR RESTR. WE'D HAD A XWIND AT FL310 THAT HAD SWUNG AROUND TO BECOME A 60 KT TAILWIND, AND APPARENTLY THE FO HAD BEEN STUDYING APCH MATERIAL AT THE SAME TIME I WAS. HE'D STARTED DOWN WITH A 1000 FPM DSCNT RATE AND HAD NOT ADJUSTED IT. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED FOR SPD BRAKES UP AND MAX DSCNT RATE. MOMENTARILY, ATC ASKED US IF WE WOULD MAKE THE RESTR, AND I SAID PROBABLY NOT. CTLR SAID, GIVE IT OUR BEST RATE. AT THE XING RESTR WE WERE PASSING ABOUT 17500 FT, 2500 FT HIGH. NO LOSS OF SEPARATION WAS INDICATED BY ATC. LESSONS I LEARNED: 1) MAKE SURE DSCNT RATE IS ESTABLISHED TO MAKE RESTRS BEFORE SHIFTING ATTN TO OTHER DUTIES. 2) CLOSELY MONITOR ACFT PERFORMANCE EVERY FEW SECONDS, NOT EVERY FEW MINS, WHILE PERFORMING OTHER DUTIES.

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.