L1011 crew did not make ATC assigned crossing altitude.

Attributes
ACN	436630
Time
Date	199905
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	FL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc tracon : pbi.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	L-1011 Tri-Star All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude ground : parked
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors arrival star : surfn.surfn7
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	436630
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to original clearance none taken : detected after the fact none taken : insufficient time
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On arrival to palm beach international we were flying the surfn 7 arrival when we were issued a new clearance to fly a heading to intercept the pbi 359 degree radial flight inbound and cross 20 NM (or 40 NM) out at a certain altitude (can't remember). We intercepted the correct radial but we did not update the FMS with a go direct command. Therefore, the distance to go in the FMS became slant range distance to the last waypoint. For some reason the first officer and I both began planning the crossing restr based on this slant range and not the DME from the pbi VOR. When we caught our mistake it was too late to correct, and we missed the crossing restr by several thousand ft -- oops! ATC did not say anything, so I believe there was no conflict with any traffic -- just wounded pride for making a beginner's mistake because of lazy head work.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: L1011 CREW DID NOT MAKE ATC ASSIGNED XING ALT.

Narrative: ON ARR TO PALM BEACH INTL WE WERE FLYING THE SURFN 7 ARR WHEN WE WERE ISSUED A NEW CLRNC TO FLY A HDG TO INTERCEPT THE PBI 359 DEG RADIAL FLT INBOUND AND CROSS 20 NM (OR 40 NM) OUT AT A CERTAIN ALT (CAN'T REMEMBER). WE INTERCEPTED THE CORRECT RADIAL BUT WE DID NOT UPDATE THE FMS WITH A GO DIRECT COMMAND. THEREFORE, THE DISTANCE TO GO IN THE FMS BECAME SLANT RANGE DISTANCE TO THE LAST WAYPOINT. FOR SOME REASON THE FO AND I BOTH BEGAN PLANNING THE XING RESTR BASED ON THIS SLANT RANGE AND NOT THE DME FROM THE PBI VOR. WHEN WE CAUGHT OUR MISTAKE IT WAS TOO LATE TO CORRECT, AND WE MISSED THE XING RESTR BY SEVERAL THOUSAND FT -- OOPS! ATC DID NOT SAY ANYTHING, SO I BELIEVE THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH ANY TFC -- JUST WOUNDED PRIDE FOR MAKING A BEGINNER'S MISTAKE BECAUSE OF LAZY HEAD WORK.

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.