Narrative:

Arriving in the detroit area, we were on center supplied heading and then given the mizar 3 arrival into detroit, using the ft wayne transition. We reminded center that ft wayne was NOTAM'ed OTS. We were then given a heading to pick up the crl 246 degree radial and continued on the mizar 3 arrival. I set my navigation receiver to crl and set up the radial for intercept. We were then given a clearance to descend from FL290 to FL210. We were then asked if we were getting DME off ft wayne, which we were, we were. Then given a crossing restr of crossing 10 mi southwest of ft wayne at FL210. A descent was commenced. My first officer put ft wayne VOR on his navigation receiver and used it to check our distance. During the descent, we were also given numerous airspeed changes from maximum forward speed to 300 KTS to 310 KTS. Being fairly close to ft wayne, we were doing our best to get down in time. I was glancing across a darkened cockpit to read his DME (my navigation receiver was still tuned to crl to pick up the radial for our arrival). When we arrived at ft wayne (10 mi southwest), we were still approximately 700 ft higher than we should have been. Nothing was mentioned, and the arrival proceeded normally. In hindsight I feel I should have -- 1) set my navigation receiver for ft wayne's DME and had my first officer set the crl navigation receiver on his side for the arrival. Looking across a darkened cockpit to read his, caused me to misread the distance on his DME. 2) used spoilers to increase the descent rate further. 3) mention to center that at the newly requested airspeed and current distance, crossing that fix would be close.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 FLT CREW GIVEN MULTIPLE INSTRUCTIONS BY ATC AND MISSES XING RESTR.

Narrative: ARRIVING IN THE DETROIT AREA, WE WERE ON CTR SUPPLIED HDG AND THEN GIVEN THE MIZAR 3 ARR INTO DETROIT, USING THE FT WAYNE TRANSITION. WE REMINDED CTR THAT FT WAYNE WAS NOTAM'ED OTS. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A HDG TO PICK UP THE CRL 246 DEG RADIAL AND CONTINUED ON THE MIZAR 3 ARR. I SET MY NAV RECEIVER TO CRL AND SET UP THE RADIAL FOR INTERCEPT. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A CLRNC TO DSND FROM FL290 TO FL210. WE WERE THEN ASKED IF WE WERE GETTING DME OFF FT WAYNE, WHICH WE WERE, WE WERE. THEN GIVEN A XING RESTR OF XING 10 MI SW OF FT WAYNE AT FL210. A DSCNT WAS COMMENCED. MY FO PUT FT WAYNE VOR ON HIS NAV RECEIVER AND USED IT TO CHK OUR DISTANCE. DURING THE DSCNT, WE WERE ALSO GIVEN NUMEROUS AIRSPD CHANGES FROM MAX FORWARD SPD TO 300 KTS TO 310 KTS. BEING FAIRLY CLOSE TO FT WAYNE, WE WERE DOING OUR BEST TO GET DOWN IN TIME. I WAS GLANCING ACROSS A DARKENED COCKPIT TO READ HIS DME (MY NAV RECEIVER WAS STILL TUNED TO CRL TO PICK UP THE RADIAL FOR OUR ARR). WHEN WE ARRIVED AT FT WAYNE (10 MI SW), WE WERE STILL APPROX 700 FT HIGHER THAN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN. NOTHING WAS MENTIONED, AND THE ARR PROCEEDED NORMALLY. IN HINDSIGHT I FEEL I SHOULD HAVE -- 1) SET MY NAV RECEIVER FOR FT WAYNE'S DME AND HAD MY FO SET THE CRL NAV RECEIVER ON HIS SIDE FOR THE ARR. LOOKING ACROSS A DARKENED COCKPIT TO READ HIS, CAUSED ME TO MISREAD THE DISTANCE ON HIS DME. 2) USED SPOILERS TO INCREASE THE DSCNT RATE FURTHER. 3) MENTION TO CTR THAT AT THE NEWLY REQUESTED AIRSPD AND CURRENT DISTANCE, XING THAT FIX WOULD BE CLOSE.

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.