Air carrier flight fails to meet crossing restr in descent.

Attributes
ACN	463650
Time
Date	200002
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	463650
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At FL270 and cleared to cross 10 DME west mei VOR at FL240. First officer was flying. After getting and acknowledging clearance, I got the destination ATIS on #2 radio after telling first officer I would be off ATC. At this point there was time and distance available to make the crossing restr. As I listened and copied the ATIS, I saw that the first officer had begun a descent. After finishing with ATIS and returning to ATC, I saw that the first officer had not started down in time to make the restr. I told him to increase the rate of descent but it was too late, and we missed the restr by 1000 ft. In spite of getting ATIS in cruise flight and telling the first officer I would be distracted temporarily with other duties, our system of backing up each other broke down. No conflict occurred and ATC made no comment but we failed to comply with a clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT FAILS TO MEET XING RESTR IN DSCNT.

Narrative: AT FL270 AND CLRED TO CROSS 10 DME W MEI VOR AT FL240. FO WAS FLYING. AFTER GETTING AND ACKNOWLEDGING CLRNC, I GOT THE DEST ATIS ON #2 RADIO AFTER TELLING FO I WOULD BE OFF ATC. AT THIS POINT THERE WAS TIME AND DISTANCE AVAILABLE TO MAKE THE XING RESTR. AS I LISTENED AND COPIED THE ATIS, I SAW THAT THE FO HAD BEGUN A DSCNT. AFTER FINISHING WITH ATIS AND RETURNING TO ATC, I SAW THAT THE FO HAD NOT STARTED DOWN IN TIME TO MAKE THE RESTR. I TOLD HIM TO INCREASE THE RATE OF DSCNT BUT IT WAS TOO LATE, AND WE MISSED THE RESTR BY 1000 FT. IN SPITE OF GETTING ATIS IN CRUISE FLT AND TELLING THE FO I WOULD BE DISTRACTED TEMPORARILY WITH OTHER DUTIES, OUR SYS OF BACKING UP EACH OTHER BROKE DOWN. NO CONFLICT OCCURRED AND ATC MADE NO COMMENT BUT WE FAILED TO COMPLY WITH A 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.