Narrative:

While my first officer was on company frequency; ATC issued a descent to FL270. I acknowledged and pushed for descent and we started down. I then put FL270 in the cruise page because we were below our planned descent path. At this time ATC then issued direct tomsn and cross tomsn at FL190 and 250 KTS. I failed to delete the FL270 from the cruise page. 'Des' was still the active mode we were in but with FL270 set in the cruise page and FL190 set in the MCP. The path the aircraft was trying to catch no longer would work with direct routing and cruise page set at FL270. By the time I realized the aircraft was not capturing our descent path; it was too late to make the altitude restr at tomsn with the speed. So we crossed tomsn high. I feel that for me it is important to not enter a new cruise altitude until capturing that altitude. I recently had a fellow pilot that had this same type of problem. When he and I were discussing what happened I told him that is why I don't enter a new cruise altitude on the cruise page until capturing that altitude. I entered it today because the other pilot was not on the radio with me and was trying to stay ahead of the ball game; so to speak. This; not being the norm for me; caused the issue. Contributing was the fact we were flying the new software which gives the abeam points as default. This is great en route but I like to be direct without abeams in descent and approach phase so I have the distance readily available. I did not enter direct without abeams as I usually do and am used to looking at. Without the distance being displayed directly to me probably slowed my recognition of our high profile state.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS CREW DSNDING INTO DEN ON THE TOMSN 4 DID NOT MAKE THE XING RESTR AT TOMSN.

Narrative: WHILE MY FO WAS ON COMPANY FREQ; ATC ISSUED A DSCNT TO FL270. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND PUSHED FOR DSCNT AND WE STARTED DOWN. I THEN PUT FL270 IN THE CRUISE PAGE BECAUSE WE WERE BELOW OUR PLANNED DSCNT PATH. AT THIS TIME ATC THEN ISSUED DIRECT TOMSN AND CROSS TOMSN AT FL190 AND 250 KTS. I FAILED TO DELETE THE FL270 FROM THE CRUISE PAGE. 'DES' WAS STILL THE ACTIVE MODE WE WERE IN BUT WITH FL270 SET IN THE CRUISE PAGE AND FL190 SET IN THE MCP. THE PATH THE ACFT WAS TRYING TO CATCH NO LONGER WOULD WORK WITH DIRECT ROUTING AND CRUISE PAGE SET AT FL270. BY THE TIME I REALIZED THE ACFT WAS NOT CAPTURING OUR DSCNT PATH; IT WAS TOO LATE TO MAKE THE ALT RESTR AT TOMSN WITH THE SPD. SO WE CROSSED TOMSN HIGH. I FEEL THAT FOR ME IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOT ENTER A NEW CRUISE ALT UNTIL CAPTURING THAT ALT. I RECENTLY HAD A FELLOW PLT THAT HAD THIS SAME TYPE OF PROB. WHEN HE AND I WERE DISCUSSING WHAT HAPPENED I TOLD HIM THAT IS WHY I DON'T ENTER A NEW CRUISE ALT ON THE CRUISE PAGE UNTIL CAPTURING THAT ALT. I ENTERED IT TODAY BECAUSE THE OTHER PLT WAS NOT ON THE RADIO WITH ME AND WAS TRYING TO STAY AHEAD OF THE BALL GAME; SO TO SPEAK. THIS; NOT BEING THE NORM FOR ME; CAUSED THE ISSUE. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE FACT WE WERE FLYING THE NEW SOFTWARE WHICH GIVES THE ABEAM POINTS AS DEFAULT. THIS IS GREAT ENRTE BUT I LIKE TO BE DIRECT WITHOUT ABEAMS IN DSCNT AND APCH PHASE SO I HAVE THE DISTANCE READILY AVAILABLE. I DID NOT ENTER DIRECT WITHOUT ABEAMS AS I USUALLY DO AND AM USED TO LOOKING AT. WITHOUT THE DISTANCE BEING DISPLAYED DIRECTLY TO ME PROBABLY SLOWED MY RECOGNITION OF OUR HIGH PROFILE STATE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.