Air carrier medium large transport flight crew fails to meet crossing restriction in descent.

Attributes
ACN	154417
Time
Date	199008
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mkg
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v450
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	154417
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Eastbound over mkg at FL330, ATC cleared flight to cross 40 M east of mkg at FL230. Our aircraft had difficulty losing 10000' in 5 mins (we were at .78 mi). During descent, PNF became busy with company communications and PF with fuel calculations. Aircraft xed 40 M east of mkg about FL250. ATC asked pilot why they missed crossing restriction. On ground, after flight, pilot called ATC controller on land line. Asked controller what purpose of crossing restriction was. Controller replied 'crossing restriction was only for being low enough for cleveland center to accept you and no incident occurred and no action will be taken.' it would be nice if ATC training could explain to controllers the difficulty some aircraft have in losing altitude in a short distance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG FLT CREW FAILS TO MEET CROSSING RESTRICTION IN DESCENT.

Narrative: EBND OVER MKG AT FL330, ATC CLRED FLT TO CROSS 40 M E OF MKG AT FL230. OUR ACFT HAD DIFFICULTY LOSING 10000' IN 5 MINS (WE WERE AT .78 MI). DURING DSNT, PNF BECAME BUSY WITH COMPANY COMS AND PF WITH FUEL CALCULATIONS. ACFT XED 40 M E OF MKG ABOUT FL250. ATC ASKED PLT WHY THEY MISSED XING RESTRICTION. ON GND, AFTER FLT, PLT CALLED ATC CTLR ON LAND LINE. ASKED CTLR WHAT PURPOSE OF XING RESTRICTION WAS. CTLR REPLIED 'XING RESTRICTION WAS ONLY FOR BEING LOW ENOUGH FOR CLEVELAND CTR TO ACCEPT YOU AND NO INCIDENT OCCURRED AND NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN.' IT WOULD BE NICE IF ATC TRNING COULD EXPLAIN TO CTLRS THE DIFFICULTY SOME ACFT HAVE IN LOSING ALT IN A SHORT DISTANCE.

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.