DC9 crew did not make the crossing restr assigned to them.

Attributes
ACN	616558
Time
Date	200405
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : rmg.vortac
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a80.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : n/s
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 3210
ASRS Report	616558
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : altimeters other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Cleared to cross dalas intersection at 14000 ft. I started down at the proper point, even adding a few mi for tailwind. Reclred to 12000 ft, the 'cross dalas at or below 14000 ft' was added by controller, almost as an afterthought. I had slowed descent rate slightly when the clearance was changed (eliminating the restr), then about the time the 14000 ft restr was tacked on again the captain asked me something which diverted my attention. When I got back into gear I could see the tailwind had picked up and we were now high! I deployed speed brakes and made maximum descent, but believe we crossed dalas about 700 ft high, but descending at about 4000 FPM. The controller made no comment and there seemed to be no conflict. Contributing to this is the 'steam gauge' DC9 with primitive navigation equipment. During my 6 1/2 months on furlough (just completed) I was spoiled to be back in a glass cockpit citation jet with VNAV! I must say that the captain was not mentally in the 'game' to see the restr was met by diverting my attention at the most crucial point with something unimportant. Still, it was my fault, but I needed back-up that I didn't get!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CREW DID NOT MAKE THE XING RESTR ASSIGNED TO THEM.

Narrative: CLRED TO CROSS DALAS INTXN AT 14000 FT. I STARTED DOWN AT THE PROPER POINT, EVEN ADDING A FEW MI FOR TAILWIND. RECLRED TO 12000 FT, THE 'CROSS DALAS AT OR BELOW 14000 FT' WAS ADDED BY CTLR, ALMOST AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT. I HAD SLOWED DSCNT RATE SLIGHTLY WHEN THE CLRNC WAS CHANGED (ELIMINATING THE RESTR), THEN ABOUT THE TIME THE 14000 FT RESTR WAS TACKED ON AGAIN THE CAPT ASKED ME SOMETHING WHICH DIVERTED MY ATTN. WHEN I GOT BACK INTO GEAR I COULD SEE THE TAILWIND HAD PICKED UP AND WE WERE NOW HIGH! I DEPLOYED SPD BRAKES AND MADE MAX DSCNT, BUT BELIEVE WE CROSSED DALAS ABOUT 700 FT HIGH, BUT DSNDING AT ABOUT 4000 FPM. THE CTLR MADE NO COMMENT AND THERE SEEMED TO BE NO CONFLICT. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS IS THE 'STEAM GAUGE' DC9 WITH PRIMITIVE NAV EQUIP. DURING MY 6 1/2 MONTHS ON FURLOUGH (JUST COMPLETED) I WAS SPOILED TO BE BACK IN A GLASS COCKPIT CITATION JET WITH VNAV! I MUST SAY THAT THE CAPT WAS NOT MENTALLY IN THE 'GAME' TO SEE THE RESTR WAS MET BY DIVERTING MY ATTN AT THE MOST CRUCIAL POINT WITH SOMETHING UNIMPORTANT. STILL, IT WAS MY FAULT, BUT I NEEDED BACK-UP THAT I DIDN'T GET!

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.