Narrative:

Flight sea-slc. First officer's leg. While en route to slc at FL270, we were given an altitude of 17000 ft at bearr intersection. 17000 ft was put in altitude window and in FMC for bearr. The WX at slc at the time was marginal -- 3/4 mi visibility, RVR 4000-6000 ft. We decided to brief a company procedures approach in case the RVR dropped below 4000 ft. We discussed the landing options for the first officer and use of autoplt passed decision ht if he landed. In our desire to thoroughly brief the approach, we sailed past our descent point to make the bearr restr. As soon as I realized we were late to descend, I informed ZLC we would be unable to make the restr. The controller told us to 'do the best you can,' but never said if the restr was actually lifted. Nothing else was said by center regarding the incident, ie, please call us at XXX-XXXX, nor did I ask if there was a need for any follow-up action. In our attempt to cover all our options for the approach later on, we dropped our descent planning/monitoring out of our xchk. I guess we need to do one thing at a time. Preplanning is good, but don't forget the task at hand. Supplemental information from acn 504202: approaching slc at FL270, was cleared to cross bearr at 17000 ft. WX reported at slc to be 200 ft and 3/4 NM visibility, so prepared to brief approach. We were still not at the descent point, so proceeded to brief the approach to runway 34R at slc. Upon completion of briefing, noticed we had overshot our descent and immediately started contact to ATC and said we would be high at bearr. He chuckled and said 'do the best you can and contact slc approach.' we crossed bearr approximately 2500-3000 ft high. In retrospect, I must have misread our planned descent point believing we still had plenty of time. Mistake on my part.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CREW DID NOT COMPLY WITH A XING ALT ON ARR INTO SLC.

Narrative: FLT SEA-SLC. FO'S LEG. WHILE ENRTE TO SLC AT FL270, WE WERE GIVEN AN ALT OF 17000 FT AT BEARR INTXN. 17000 FT WAS PUT IN ALT WINDOW AND IN FMC FOR BEARR. THE WX AT SLC AT THE TIME WAS MARGINAL -- 3/4 MI VISIBILITY, RVR 4000-6000 FT. WE DECIDED TO BRIEF A COMPANY PROCS APCH IN CASE THE RVR DROPPED BELOW 4000 FT. WE DISCUSSED THE LNDG OPTIONS FOR THE FO AND USE OF AUTOPLT PASSED DECISION HT IF HE LANDED. IN OUR DESIRE TO THOROUGHLY BRIEF THE APCH, WE SAILED PAST OUR DSCNT POINT TO MAKE THE BEARR RESTR. AS SOON AS I REALIZED WE WERE LATE TO DSND, I INFORMED ZLC WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO MAKE THE RESTR. THE CTLR TOLD US TO 'DO THE BEST YOU CAN,' BUT NEVER SAID IF THE RESTR WAS ACTUALLY LIFTED. NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID BY CTR REGARDING THE INCIDENT, IE, PLEASE CALL US AT XXX-XXXX, NOR DID I ASK IF THERE WAS A NEED FOR ANY FOLLOW-UP ACTION. IN OUR ATTEMPT TO COVER ALL OUR OPTIONS FOR THE APCH LATER ON, WE DROPPED OUR DSCNT PLANNING/MONITORING OUT OF OUR XCHK. I GUESS WE NEED TO DO ONE THING AT A TIME. PREPLANNING IS GOOD, BUT DON'T FORGET THE TASK AT HAND. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 504202: APCHING SLC AT FL270, WAS CLRED TO CROSS BEARR AT 17000 FT. WX RPTED AT SLC TO BE 200 FT AND 3/4 NM VISIBILITY, SO PREPARED TO BRIEF APCH. WE WERE STILL NOT AT THE DSCNT POINT, SO PROCEEDED TO BRIEF THE APCH TO RWY 34R AT SLC. UPON COMPLETION OF BRIEFING, NOTICED WE HAD OVERSHOT OUR DSCNT AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED CONTACT TO ATC AND SAID WE WOULD BE HIGH AT BEARR. HE CHUCKLED AND SAID 'DO THE BEST YOU CAN AND CONTACT SLC APCH.' WE CROSSED BEARR APPROX 2500-3000 FT HIGH. IN RETROSPECT, I MUST HAVE MISREAD OUR PLANNED DSCNT POINT BELIEVING WE STILL HAD PLENTY OF TIME. MISTAKE ON MY PART.

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.