Narrative:

Descending on the PHLBO2 RNAV arrival to ewr. We were given fubrr @ FL270. The arrival was entered in the FMC and all crossing altitudes were in the database. FL270 was entered in the altitude window and I selected first the legs page to orient to where fubrr was and then the descent page to check the top of descent point and that was briefed to the first officer. Several distractions from the cabin were encountered; temperature and arrival time. ATC called and asked if we received the descent clearance; we looked at the descent page and I saw the TOD at about 6 miles or so; but then saw the required descent rate to acquire the crossing point was 8000 FPM. The TOD was in fact the descend to waypoint and was only 5 miles away. Needless to say; we were high at the crossing point by 3000 ft or so. When the first officer advised ATC we would be high at fubrr; he told us we were cleared to FL200; the next lower altitude on the arrival. ATC did not advise of any traffic conflict due to the error.first; I did not properly monitor the descent. I looked at the mileage to the top of descent on the descent page and did not properly monitor the mileage to fubrr; the crossing point. I believed the FMC calculation to be correct; when in fact; it was not. There were some distractions from cabin problems that diverted our attention from the descent profile. There seems to be some problems with the software and the VNAV descent accuracy. Second day in a row where I thought proper descent inputs were made and the FMC did not perform properly. Don't trust the descent profile accuracy.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 Captain reported missing crossing restriction of FL270 at FUBRR. Although the FMC was apparently programmed to make this assigned crossing restriction; descent was never initiated until queried by ATC.

Narrative: Descending on the PHLBO2 RNAV arrival to EWR. We were given FUBRR @ FL270. The arrival was entered in the FMC and all crossing altitudes were in the database. FL270 was entered in the altitude window and I selected first the legs page to orient to where FUBRR was and then the descent page to check the top of descent point and that was briefed to the First Officer. Several distractions from the cabin were encountered; temperature and arrival time. ATC called and asked if we received the descent clearance; we looked at the descent page and I saw the TOD at about 6 miles or so; but then saw the required descent rate to acquire the crossing point was 8000 FPM. The TOD was in fact the descend to waypoint and was only 5 miles away. Needless to say; we were high at the crossing point by 3000 FT or so. When the First Officer advised ATC we would be high at FUBRR; he told us we were cleared to FL200; the next lower altitude on the arrival. ATC did not advise of any traffic conflict due to the error.First; I did not properly monitor the descent. I looked at the mileage to the top of descent on the descent page and did not properly monitor the mileage to FUBRR; the crossing point. I believed the FMC calculation to be correct; when in fact; it was not. There were some distractions from cabin problems that diverted our attention from the descent profile. There seems to be some problems with the software and the VNAV descent accuracy. Second day in a row where I thought proper descent inputs were made and the FMC did not perform properly. Don't trust the descent profile accuracy.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.