Descending aircraft unable to cross fix at assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	487530
Time
Date	200010
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : rbv.vortac
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : eno.rbv1
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	487530
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
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While level at 19000 ft, we were given clearance to 'cross holey intersection at 11000 ft.' we have done this arrival many times before and were very familiar with it (robbinsville one arrival to ewr). Though the clearance to cross holey at 11000 ft was issued later than normal, we were capable of complying and accepted the clearance. The first officer (PF) elected to use the vertical navigation portion of our FMS to descend. He had some difficulty getting the FMS to start the descent. The process of punching buttons distracted both of us. By the time we started down we were well behind profile. Despite the use of speed brakes and engines at idle, we crossed holey at approximately 13000 ft, while descending at more than 3000 FPM. We did not cause any conflicts that we are aware of and the controller did not say anything. In hindsight, we should have been anticipating the rapid descent and had been ready with the FMS (and quicker with the FMS). It would also have been better if we had not let the button pushing distract us from the task at hand. Positional awareness suffers when both pilots have their heads down, programming a computer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DSNDING ACFT UNABLE TO CROSS FIX AT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: WHILE LEVEL AT 19000 FT, WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO 'CROSS HOLEY INTXN AT 11000 FT.' WE HAVE DONE THIS ARR MANY TIMES BEFORE AND WERE VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT (ROBBINSVILLE ONE ARR TO EWR). THOUGH THE CLRNC TO CROSS HOLEY AT 11000 FT WAS ISSUED LATER THAN NORMAL, WE WERE CAPABLE OF COMPLYING AND ACCEPTED THE CLRNC. THE FO (PF) ELECTED TO USE THE VERT NAV PORTION OF OUR FMS TO DSND. HE HAD SOME DIFFICULTY GETTING THE FMS TO START THE DSCNT. THE PROCESS OF PUNCHING BUTTONS DISTRACTED BOTH OF US. BY THE TIME WE STARTED DOWN WE WERE WELL BEHIND PROFILE. DESPITE THE USE OF SPD BRAKES AND ENGS AT IDLE, WE CROSSED HOLEY AT APPROX 13000 FT, WHILE DSNDING AT MORE THAN 3000 FPM. WE DID NOT CAUSE ANY CONFLICTS THAT WE ARE AWARE OF AND THE CTLR DID NOT SAY ANYTHING. IN HINDSIGHT, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ANTICIPATING THE RAPID DSCNT AND HAD BEEN READY WITH THE FMS (AND QUICKER WITH THE FMS). IT WOULD ALSO HAVE BEEN BETTER IF WE HAD NOT LET THE BUTTON PUSHING DISTRACT US FROM THE TASK AT HAND. POSITIONAL AWARENESS SUFFERS WHEN BOTH PLTS HAVE THEIR HEADS DOWN, PROGRAMMING A COMPUTER.

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.