DC9 requested altitude relief when captain sees that restr will not be met at stl.

Attributes
ACN	438940
Time
Date	199905
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : stl.vortac
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 50
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : qball
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	438940
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Inbound to stl on qball arrival, given standard crossing at qball intersection, 15000 ft. New first officer seemed to be working descent profile well. I (captain) went on to perform inbound duties, checklist, company call. In the descent profile, the first officer reduced descent rate to where the crossing would not be possible. 6 mi from crossing, I alerted center and requested relief of the crossing or some other plan. Center just said, continue and change over to approach control. No conflict was indicated. Approach made no mention of problem with check-in. As an instructor pilot, I should have stayed on the situation closer -- plain and simple -- on a deeper plane. Having allowed the student to fall behind, led to a little confusion for her as to what next -- not a good situation/learning tool.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 REQUESTED ALT RELIEF WHEN CAPT SEES THAT RESTR WILL NOT BE MET AT STL.

Narrative: INBOUND TO STL ON QBALL ARR, GIVEN STANDARD XING AT QBALL INTXN, 15000 FT. NEW FO SEEMED TO BE WORKING DSCNT PROFILE WELL. I (CAPT) WENT ON TO PERFORM INBOUND DUTIES, CHKLIST, COMPANY CALL. IN THE DSCNT PROFILE, THE FO REDUCED DSCNT RATE TO WHERE THE XING WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. 6 MI FROM XING, I ALERTED CTR AND REQUESTED RELIEF OF THE XING OR SOME OTHER PLAN. CTR JUST SAID, CONTINUE AND CHANGE OVER TO APCH CTL. NO CONFLICT WAS INDICATED. APCH MADE NO MENTION OF PROB WITH CHK-IN. AS AN INSTRUCTOR PLT, I SHOULD HAVE STAYED ON THE SIT CLOSER -- PLAIN AND SIMPLE -- ON A DEEPER PLANE. HAVING ALLOWED THE STUDENT TO FALL BEHIND, LED TO A LITTLE CONFUSION FOR HER AS TO WHAT NEXT -- NOT A GOOD SIT/LEARNING TOOL.

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.