Narrative:

We had a full flight with 2 jump seaters from 2 other airlines in the cockpit. The first officer was flying and it was the first leg that we had ever flown together. We were flying an '/a' equipped aircraft and were on an easterly heading to join the jen 039 degree radial, descending to cross hirst intersection at 11000 ft at 250 KTS. Because we were angling in to join the radial, we never had a good way of knowing our distance to hirst intersection. I was subtly looking at my RMI to estimate our distance with the RMI needles and felt we might be on the high side, but it was just a guess and I hated to mention it in front of the 2 jump seaters, especially since the first officer and I had just met 3 hours earlier. By the time we turned to join the radial just a few mi before the intersection, I could see we were high. The first officer had the speed brake out but tended to be slowing towards 250 KTS versus making the altitude first. The altitude was probably 'do-able' if we had dumped the nose on down to make it. This is probably why I didn't call ATC to alert them as in my mind it was still 'do-able.' however, we didn't 'do it' and crossed hirst intersection at 13000 ft and 270 KTS without ever saying a word to anyone. Why did this happen? Because I'm an idiot for letting it happen. It happened to be before, makes me mad and more alert for a couple of yrs and then I let it happen again. Outside of embarrassment, there were, nor have there ever been any conflicts. I also think ATC should not put you in those estimating angles and distances sits. It's not any part of any of our training and it's just a common sense guess for me.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLC HAD ALT UNDERSHOOT IN D10 CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE HAD A FULL FLT WITH 2 JUMP SEATERS FROM 2 OTHER AIRLINES IN THE COCKPIT. THE FO WAS FLYING AND IT WAS THE FIRST LEG THAT WE HAD EVER FLOWN TOGETHER. WE WERE FLYING AN '/A' EQUIPPED ACFT AND WERE ON AN EASTERLY HDG TO JOIN THE JEN 039 DEG RADIAL, DSNDING TO CROSS HIRST INTXN AT 11000 FT AT 250 KTS. BECAUSE WE WERE ANGLING IN TO JOIN THE RADIAL, WE NEVER HAD A GOOD WAY OF KNOWING OUR DISTANCE TO HIRST INTXN. I WAS SUBTLY LOOKING AT MY RMI TO ESTIMATE OUR DISTANCE WITH THE RMI NEEDLES AND FELT WE MIGHT BE ON THE HIGH SIDE, BUT IT WAS JUST A GUESS AND I HATED TO MENTION IT IN FRONT OF THE 2 JUMP SEATERS, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE FO AND I HAD JUST MET 3 HRS EARLIER. BY THE TIME WE TURNED TO JOIN THE RADIAL JUST A FEW MI BEFORE THE INTXN, I COULD SEE WE WERE HIGH. THE FO HAD THE SPD BRAKE OUT BUT TENDED TO BE SLOWING TOWARDS 250 KTS VERSUS MAKING THE ALT FIRST. THE ALT WAS PROBABLY 'DO-ABLE' IF WE HAD DUMPED THE NOSE ON DOWN TO MAKE IT. THIS IS PROBABLY WHY I DIDN'T CALL ATC TO ALERT THEM AS IN MY MIND IT WAS STILL 'DO-ABLE.' HOWEVER, WE DIDN'T 'DO IT' AND CROSSED HIRST INTXN AT 13000 FT AND 270 KTS WITHOUT EVER SAYING A WORD TO ANYONE. WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? BECAUSE I'M AN IDIOT FOR LETTING IT HAPPEN. IT HAPPENED TO BE BEFORE, MAKES ME MAD AND MORE ALERT FOR A COUPLE OF YRS AND THEN I LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN. OUTSIDE OF EMBARRASSMENT, THERE WERE, NOR HAVE THERE EVER BEEN ANY CONFLICTS. I ALSO THINK ATC SHOULD NOT PUT YOU IN THOSE ESTIMATING ANGLES AND DISTANCES SITS. IT'S NOT ANY PART OF ANY OF OUR TRAINING AND IT'S JUST A COMMON SENSE GUESS FOR ME.

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.