Narrative:

Arrival into phx; controller gave a clearance to descend via the maier 2 arrival. The final altitude is 6000 ft. Moments later; due to traffic; a new clearance was given to descend to 9000 ft. The aircraft was descending at 1000 FPM and then moments later the controller put us back on the arrival to descend via the arrival. The aircraft was below the capture profile so when 6000 ft was selected; it never captured the descent profile to cross a fix at 9000 ft. I discovered the aircraft at 7800 ft approximately 5 mi short of a 9000 ft crossing altitude. I climbed to 8000 ft; we would have never been able to achieve 9000 ft in such a short distance. Just past the fix; 8000 ft would be an approved altitude. We maintained 8000 ft until the fix and then joined the descent profile with no other problems. No ATC call was received about the deviation. Factors that may have played a role in this incident would be such a short overnight in ZZZ.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW IS CLEARED TO DESCEND VIA THE MAIER 2 ARRIVAL TO PHX ARPT. AN ALT CLRNC IS THEN ISSUED; AND WHEN TFC IS CLEAR; THE FLT CREW IS AGAIN CLEARED TO DESCEND VIA THE ARRIVAL. REQUIRED CROSSING RESTRICTIONS ARE NOT MET.

Narrative: ARR INTO PHX; CTLR GAVE A CLRNC TO DSND VIA THE MAIER 2 ARR. THE FINAL ALT IS 6000 FT. MOMENTS LATER; DUE TO TFC; A NEW CLRNC WAS GIVEN TO DSND TO 9000 FT. THE ACFT WAS DSNDING AT 1000 FPM AND THEN MOMENTS LATER THE CTLR PUT US BACK ON THE ARR TO DSND VIA THE ARR. THE ACFT WAS BELOW THE CAPTURE PROFILE SO WHEN 6000 FT WAS SELECTED; IT NEVER CAPTURED THE DSCNT PROFILE TO CROSS A FIX AT 9000 FT. I DISCOVERED THE ACFT AT 7800 FT APPROX 5 MI SHORT OF A 9000 FT XING ALT. I CLBED TO 8000 FT; WE WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE 9000 FT IN SUCH A SHORT DISTANCE. JUST PAST THE FIX; 8000 FT WOULD BE AN APPROVED ALT. WE MAINTAINED 8000 FT UNTIL THE FIX AND THEN JOINED THE DSCNT PROFILE WITH NO OTHER PROBS. NO ATC CALL WAS RECEIVED ABOUT THE DEV. FACTORS THAT MAY HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN THIS INCIDENT WOULD BE SUCH A SHORT OVERNIGHT IN ZZZ.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.