Narrative:

On ferry at cruise FL350 between atl and vxv, the FMS dumped. The first officer was the PF and we both went green data and resumed normal navigation procedures. I immediately notified center that we were now a '/a' aircraft for transponder purposes. After passing vxv, ZID cleared us to descend to FL280 and cross dresr intersection at FL240. The first officer did the mental descent calculations and we started down. While in descent, the FMS came back. I went to white data and automatic-tuned. The FMS electronic descent/VNAV data confirmed that we would cross dresr at FL240. The first officer then went to white data and automatic-tuned shortly after that. The FMS displayed 'dr' and would not do an automatic position update. Manual position updates were also unsuccessful. I again told ATC we were an '/a' aircraft and we both went to green data and resumed normal navigation procedures. I then tuned the 'flm' VOR 117.0 and set my course for the 124 degree radial in anticipation of fixing the turn at sweep intersection. Even though the 'FCC' was selected to the first officer's side, the autoplt began an uncommanded left turn towards 'flm.' while diagnosing the uncommanded turn, ZID asked us to increase our rate of descent. We had become fixated on the navigation problem and then realized we probably would not make the dresr crossing restr. Since we were a ferry flight with no passenger, we dumped the nose and hurried down to FL240. We received no further queries from ZID regarding this. We completed the flight in green data without incident. After landing, cvg ground control asked us to call indy. I called and explained what happened. He suggested in the future that I give more information, ie, explicit details about the extent of our problem other than simply reporting the change in or transponder status. I concurred. He said no certificate action would be taken.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARJ EXPERIENCING EQUIP PROBS AND FAILS TO MAKE DSCNT ALT XING RESTR WITH ZID ARTCC.

Narrative: ON FERRY AT CRUISE FL350 BTWN ATL AND VXV, THE FMS DUMPED. THE FO WAS THE PF AND WE BOTH WENT GREEN DATA AND RESUMED NORMAL NAV PROCS. I IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED CTR THAT WE WERE NOW A '/A' ACFT FOR XPONDER PURPOSES. AFTER PASSING VXV, ZID CLRED US TO DSND TO FL280 AND CROSS DRESR INTXN AT FL240. THE FO DID THE MENTAL DSCNT CALCULATIONS AND WE STARTED DOWN. WHILE IN DSCNT, THE FMS CAME BACK. I WENT TO WHITE DATA AND AUTO-TUNED. THE FMS ELECTRONIC DSCNT/VNAV DATA CONFIRMED THAT WE WOULD CROSS DRESR AT FL240. THE FO THEN WENT TO WHITE DATA AND AUTO-TUNED SHORTLY AFTER THAT. THE FMS DISPLAYED 'DR' AND WOULD NOT DO AN AUTOMATIC POS UPDATE. MANUAL POS UPDATES WERE ALSO UNSUCCESSFUL. I AGAIN TOLD ATC WE WERE AN '/A' ACFT AND WE BOTH WENT TO GREEN DATA AND RESUMED NORMAL NAV PROCS. I THEN TUNED THE 'FLM' VOR 117.0 AND SET MY COURSE FOR THE 124 DEG RADIAL IN ANTICIPATION OF FIXING THE TURN AT SWEEP INTXN. EVEN THOUGH THE 'FCC' WAS SELECTED TO THE FO'S SIDE, THE AUTOPLT BEGAN AN UNCOMMANDED L TURN TOWARDS 'FLM.' WHILE DIAGNOSING THE UNCOMMANDED TURN, ZID ASKED US TO INCREASE OUR RATE OF DSCNT. WE HAD BECOME FIXATED ON THE NAV PROB AND THEN REALIZED WE PROBABLY WOULD NOT MAKE THE DRESR XING RESTR. SINCE WE WERE A FERRY FLT WITH NO PAX, WE DUMPED THE NOSE AND HURRIED DOWN TO FL240. WE RECEIVED NO FURTHER QUERIES FROM ZID REGARDING THIS. WE COMPLETED THE FLT IN GREEN DATA WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER LNDG, CVG GND CTL ASKED US TO CALL INDY. I CALLED AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED. HE SUGGESTED IN THE FUTURE THAT I GIVE MORE INFO, IE, EXPLICIT DETAILS ABOUT THE EXTENT OF OUR PROB OTHER THAN SIMPLY RPTING THE CHANGE IN OR XPONDER STATUS. I CONCURRED. HE SAID NO CERTIFICATE ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN.

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.