Narrative:

Flight route stl-mem. Original clearance was lindy 2 departure, arg, gqe 3 arrival mem. 20 mins into flight, ZKC cleared flight direct gqe. Flight handed off to ZME. Flight cleared to descend to FL250. Flight cleared direct wilder, wilder 4 arrival (second approach). Heading to wilder, approximately 140 degrees, flight handed off to second ZME controller. Upon switching frequencys, we heard ZME issuing a clearance. Moments later, ZME repeated the same clearance with our call sign. ZME then asked if we were intercepting the mem 010 degree radial. We responded, 'no, we are direct wilder.' ZME then cleared us to intercept the mem 010 degree radial, cross 40 NM northeast of mem at 10000 ft, cleared the handy 1 arrival (third arrival). We acknowledged the clearance and prepared for yet another change. 3 different arrs issued in a short period of time were enough to distract both pilots. We next received a call from ZME asking if we were going to make our crossing restr. We replied 'no.' center asked why. We stated, 'too many changes, not enough time.' afterwards, we were vectored off the arrival, expedited our descent and arrived at mem without further event. Why so many changes? Why was the second mem controller expecting us to be on a different clearance? Why were we assigned a crossing restr way inside the 3:1 rule for descent? Why didn't we recognize we were not going to make the restr and admit it early? A lesson learned. Don't let task saturation overshadow the big picture. Supplemental information from acn 558421: there was much chatter before first officer rechked in with ZME. ZME then advised us we were now cleared to cross 40 mi north of memphis at 10000 ft on the 010 degree radial, which first officer read back. I attempted to set up the intercept on VOR/arc function, primarily to determine exactly where I was. ZME then advised us we were cleared via the handy 1 arrival into memphis. First officer read back and attempted to load into FMS. We were on the mem 360 degree radial, 73 DME, heading 140 degrees. We intercepted the radial inbound, but had not begun our descent. Mem controller then gave us +/-160 degree vector and asked why we would not make the restr. I replied that we had too many clrncs in too little time.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 FLC RECEIVED 3 MEM STAR CHANGES AND ADVISE THEY WILL NOT MEET XING RESTRS DUE TO COCKPIT COMPLEXITY WHEN QUESTIONED BY ZME.

Narrative: FLT RTE STL-MEM. ORIGINAL CLRNC WAS LINDY 2 DEP, ARG, GQE 3 ARR MEM. 20 MINS INTO FLT, ZKC CLRED FLT DIRECT GQE. FLT HANDED OFF TO ZME. FLT CLRED TO DSND TO FL250. FLT CLRED DIRECT WILDER, WILDER 4 ARR (SECOND APCH). HDG TO WILDER, APPROX 140 DEGS, FLT HANDED OFF TO SECOND ZME CTLR. UPON SWITCHING FREQS, WE HEARD ZME ISSUING A CLRNC. MOMENTS LATER, ZME REPEATED THE SAME CLRNC WITH OUR CALL SIGN. ZME THEN ASKED IF WE WERE INTERCEPTING THE MEM 010 DEG RADIAL. WE RESPONDED, 'NO, WE ARE DIRECT WILDER.' ZME THEN CLRED US TO INTERCEPT THE MEM 010 DEG RADIAL, CROSS 40 NM NE OF MEM AT 10000 FT, CLRED THE HANDY 1 ARR (THIRD ARR). WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC AND PREPARED FOR YET ANOTHER CHANGE. 3 DIFFERENT ARRS ISSUED IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WERE ENOUGH TO DISTRACT BOTH PLTS. WE NEXT RECEIVED A CALL FROM ZME ASKING IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE OUR XING RESTR. WE REPLIED 'NO.' CTR ASKED WHY. WE STATED, 'TOO MANY CHANGES, NOT ENOUGH TIME.' AFTERWARDS, WE WERE VECTORED OFF THE ARR, EXPEDITED OUR DSCNT AND ARRIVED AT MEM WITHOUT FURTHER EVENT. WHY SO MANY CHANGES? WHY WAS THE SECOND MEM CTLR EXPECTING US TO BE ON A DIFFERENT CLRNC? WHY WERE WE ASSIGNED A XING RESTR WAY INSIDE THE 3:1 RULE FOR DSCNT? WHY DIDN'T WE RECOGNIZE WE WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE THE RESTR AND ADMIT IT EARLY? A LESSON LEARNED. DON'T LET TASK SATURATION OVERSHADOW THE BIG PICTURE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 558421: THERE WAS MUCH CHATTER BEFORE FO RECHKED IN WITH ZME. ZME THEN ADVISED US WE WERE NOW CLRED TO CROSS 40 MI N OF MEMPHIS AT 10000 FT ON THE 010 DEG RADIAL, WHICH FO READ BACK. I ATTEMPTED TO SET UP THE INTERCEPT ON VOR/ARC FUNCTION, PRIMARILY TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHERE I WAS. ZME THEN ADVISED US WE WERE CLRED VIA THE HANDY 1 ARR INTO MEMPHIS. FO READ BACK AND ATTEMPTED TO LOAD INTO FMS. WE WERE ON THE MEM 360 DEG RADIAL, 73 DME, HDG 140 DEGS. WE INTERCEPTED THE RADIAL INBOUND, BUT HAD NOT BEGUN OUR DSCNT. MEM CTLR THEN GAVE US +/-160 DEG VECTOR AND ASKED WHY WE WOULD NOT MAKE THE RESTR. I REPLIED THAT WE HAD TOO MANY CLRNCS IN TOO LITTLE TIME.

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.