Flight crew of medium large transport on descent unable to make crossing restriction account late de...

Attributes
ACN	192448
Time
Date	199110
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 27500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	192448
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approaching mem on the ealet 5 arrival, center issued a clearance to cross 85 mi southwest of mem at 240. Captain calculated that point to be 24 mi southwest of seabo on the arrival and entered that into the FMS. I concurred with that point. About this time the captain placed a box of doughnuts onto the center console. The box apparently caused the #1 communication radio to change frequencys by 1 digit, although we did not know it at the time. Also at this time, a flight attendant came to the cockpit to claim a doughnut. Approximately 100 mi from mem we both noticed that the FMS top of descent point seemed too close to the crossing point, and a descent was initiated. It was then discovered that the FL240 restriction had been incorrectly entered into the FMS at the next point beyond the proper crossing point. This may be due to pushing the button next to the wrong point or the FMS may have switched to the next point just as the altitude restriction button was pressed. When I tried to call center to tell them we would not make the altitude restriction, I discovered we were not in contact. I called the previous frequency to get the correct frequency. When I checked in with center they said they had been trying to contact us. The controller assigned a lower altitude as we passed over the altitude crossing point (85 DME mem) about 3500 ft high.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MLG ON DSCNT UNABLE TO MAKE XING RESTRICTION ACCOUNT LATE DSCNT. MISCOMPUTED XING POINT AND LOSS OF RADIO COM WITH CENTER.

Narrative: APCHING MEM ON THE EALET 5 ARR, CENTER ISSUED A CLRNC TO CROSS 85 MI SW OF MEM AT 240. CAPT CALCULATED THAT POINT TO BE 24 MI SW OF SEABO ON THE ARR AND ENTERED THAT INTO THE FMS. I CONCURRED WITH THAT POINT. ABOUT THIS TIME THE CAPT PLACED A BOX OF DOUGHNUTS ONTO THE CENTER CONSOLE. THE BOX APPARENTLY CAUSED THE #1 COM RADIO TO CHANGE FREQS BY 1 DIGIT, ALTHOUGH WE DID NOT KNOW IT AT THE TIME. ALSO AT THIS TIME, A FLT ATTENDANT CAME TO THE COCKPIT TO CLAIM A DOUGHNUT. APPROX 100 MI FROM MEM WE BOTH NOTICED THAT THE FMS TOP OF DSCNT POINT SEEMED TOO CLOSE TO THE XING POINT, AND A DSNT WAS INITIATED. IT WAS THEN DISCOVERED THAT THE FL240 RESTRICTION HAD BEEN INCORRECTLY ENTERED INTO THE FMS AT THE NEXT POINT BEYOND THE PROPER XING POINT. THIS MAY BE DUE TO PUSHING THE BUTTON NEXT TO THE WRONG POINT OR THE FMS MAY HAVE SWITCHED TO THE NEXT POINT JUST AS THE ALT RESTRICTION BUTTON WAS PRESSED. WHEN I TRIED TO CALL CENTER TO TELL THEM WE WOULD NOT MAKE THE ALT RESTRICTION, I DISCOVERED WE WERE NOT IN CONTACT. I CALLED THE PREVIOUS FREQ TO GET THE CORRECT FREQ. WHEN I CHKED IN WITH CENTER THEY SAID THEY HAD BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT US. THE CTLR ASSIGNED A LOWER ALT AS WE PASSED OVER THE ALT XING POINT (85 DME MEM) ABOUT 3500 FT HIGH.

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.

Flight crew of medium large transport on descent unable to make crossing restriction account late descent. Miscomputed crossing point and loss of radio communication with center.