An A320 flight crew fails to make an altitude crossing restr at yqo, on.

Attributes
ACN	481610
Time
Date	200008
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	ON
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	arrival star : spica
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 16500 flight time type : 610
ASRS Report	481610
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 other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on the spica two arrival coming into dtw. We were given a pilot's discretion to FL310 and cross aylmer (yqo) VOR at FL280. The first officer was flying. He made the descent to FL310. I set in the FL280 crossing restr over yqo in the FMGC. We were about 50 mi from yqo. I was doing some arrival work on the mcdu. I looked up and we were still at FL310, with about 15 mi to go before yqo. I told the first officer we needed to start down. We used speed brakes to hurry the descent. We crossed over the VOR at about FL290. When we leveled at FL280 we were about 4 mi beyond yqo. The first officer might have been confused about the FMS. He said he didn't see the 'orange circle' on the navigation display, which meant that we would not make the crossing restr. I should have paid more attention to the mileage before the VOR, so I could have made sure he was beginning the descent.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 FLC FAILS TO MAKE AN ALT XING RESTR AT YQO, ON.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE SPICA TWO ARR COMING INTO DTW. WE WERE GIVEN A PLT'S DISCRETION TO FL310 AND CROSS AYLMER (YQO) VOR AT FL280. THE FO WAS FLYING. HE MADE THE DSCNT TO FL310. I SET IN THE FL280 XING RESTR OVER YQO IN THE FMGC. WE WERE ABOUT 50 MI FROM YQO. I WAS DOING SOME ARR WORK ON THE MCDU. I LOOKED UP AND WE WERE STILL AT FL310, WITH ABOUT 15 MI TO GO BEFORE YQO. I TOLD THE FO WE NEEDED TO START DOWN. WE USED SPD BRAKES TO HURRY THE DSCNT. WE CROSSED OVER THE VOR AT ABOUT FL290. WHEN WE LEVELED AT FL280 WE WERE ABOUT 4 MI BEYOND YQO. THE FO MIGHT HAVE BEEN CONFUSED ABOUT THE FMS. HE SAID HE DIDN'T SEE THE 'ORANGE CIRCLE' ON THE NAV DISPLAY, WHICH MEANT THAT WE WOULD NOT MAKE THE XING RESTR. I SHOULD HAVE PAID MORE ATTN TO THE MILEAGE BEFORE THE VOR, SO I COULD HAVE MADE SURE HE WAS BEGINNING THE DSCNT.

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.