B737 crew would not have complied with a crossing restr. Informed ATC and got restr waived.

Attributes
ACN	506410
Time
Date	200103
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : vuz.vortac
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl single value : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 135 flight time total : 23000 flight time type : 15000
ASRS Report	506410
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were cleared to cross 25 NM north of vulcan (vuh) VOR on descent into birmingham. First officer inadvertently put 11000 ft at vulcan VOR after entering a position for 25 mi north. I was getting ATIS for bhm at the time. The ATIS then changed, and I was busy getting the new ATIS just prior to descent. I did not notice 11000 ft at vuz on CDU. As we began descent, we noticed we would be high. We told bhm approach that we were high and needed the crossing restr waived, or a vector off course. He was working at least 2 different frequencys, but did relieve the crossing restr and gave us a turn off course, even though radio was congested. We apologized to controller, and I called bhm approach on the phone from bhm operations to apologize. The controller on the phone said it was not a problem and all was ok. I should have checked the CDU and should have been more observant on mileage DME before updating ATIS. We were definitely relieved of this crossing restr before we got to 25 DME point, and controller turned us prior to 25 DME. We just wanted to submit this to be on the safe side.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW WOULD NOT HAVE COMPLIED WITH A XING RESTR. INFORMED ATC AND GOT RESTR WAIVED.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS 25 NM N OF VULCAN (VUH) VOR ON DSCNT INTO BIRMINGHAM. FO INADVERTENTLY PUT 11000 FT AT VULCAN VOR AFTER ENTERING A POS FOR 25 MI N. I WAS GETTING ATIS FOR BHM AT THE TIME. THE ATIS THEN CHANGED, AND I WAS BUSY GETTING THE NEW ATIS JUST PRIOR TO DSCNT. I DID NOT NOTICE 11000 FT AT VUZ ON CDU. AS WE BEGAN DSCNT, WE NOTICED WE WOULD BE HIGH. WE TOLD BHM APCH THAT WE WERE HIGH AND NEEDED THE XING RESTR WAIVED, OR A VECTOR OFF COURSE. HE WAS WORKING AT LEAST 2 DIFFERENT FREQS, BUT DID RELIEVE THE XING RESTR AND GAVE US A TURN OFF COURSE, EVEN THOUGH RADIO WAS CONGESTED. WE APOLOGIZED TO CTLR, AND I CALLED BHM APCH ON THE PHONE FROM BHM OPS TO APOLOGIZE. THE CTLR ON THE PHONE SAID IT WAS NOT A PROB AND ALL WAS OK. I SHOULD HAVE CHKED THE CDU AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE OBSERVANT ON MILEAGE DME BEFORE UPDATING ATIS. WE WERE DEFINITELY RELIEVED OF THIS XING RESTR BEFORE WE GOT TO 25 DME POINT, AND CTLR TURNED US PRIOR TO 25 DME. WE JUST WANTED TO SUBMIT THIS TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE.

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.