Narrative:

Captain initiated descent to cross muskegon VOR (mkg) at 24000 ft MSL as cleared. It appeared to me to be a few mi late but not excessively so. I then left frequency to get ATIS and report in range to company. Also made final PA to passengers about arrival time and destination WX. When I came back up on chicago center frequency the captain was explaining why he had missed the crossing restriction. He stated that the DME had failed, which indeed it had, and he had not realized we were so close. The controller seemed to accept this and as far as I know there was no conflict. In the future I will have to use better care in monitoring the PF when in climbs or dscnts. Shortly after this chicago center asked us to expedite our descent to 10000 ft MSL. Without assigning a crossing restriction. In this case the captain hesitated and queried ATC for a reason. At that point the controller lost patience and said because he needed it. He also then assigned a crossing restriction of either 50 or 55 NM east of badger VOR (bae) which we then missed by a few mi. This captain has a tendency to second guess ATC; especially with regard to altitudes. He tries to stay high as long as possible for fuel conservation. On occasion it can lead to trouble, as can be seen above.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALTDEV UNDERSHOT ALT XING RESTRICTION NOT MET.

Narrative: CAPT INITIATED DSCNT TO CROSS MUSKEGON VOR (MKG) AT 24000 FT MSL AS CLRED. IT APPEARED TO ME TO BE A FEW MI LATE BUT NOT EXCESSIVELY SO. I THEN LEFT FREQ TO GET ATIS AND RPT IN RANGE TO COMPANY. ALSO MADE FINAL PA TO PAXS ABOUT ARR TIME AND DEST WX. WHEN I CAME BACK UP ON CHICAGO CENTER FREQ THE CAPT WAS EXPLAINING WHY HE HAD MISSED THE XING RESTRICTION. HE STATED THAT THE DME HAD FAILED, WHICH INDEED IT HAD, AND HE HAD NOT REALIZED WE WERE SO CLOSE. THE CTLR SEEMED TO ACCEPT THIS AND AS FAR AS I KNOW THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. IN THE FUTURE I WILL HAVE TO USE BETTER CARE IN MONITORING THE PF WHEN IN CLBS OR DSCNTS. SHORTLY AFTER THIS CHICAGO CENTER ASKED US TO EXPEDITE OUR DSCNT TO 10000 FT MSL. WITHOUT ASSIGNING A XING RESTRICTION. IN THIS CASE THE CAPT HESITATED AND QUERIED ATC FOR A REASON. AT THAT POINT THE CTLR LOST PATIENCE AND SAID BECAUSE HE NEEDED IT. HE ALSO THEN ASSIGNED A XING RESTRICTION OF EITHER 50 OR 55 NM E OF BADGER VOR (BAE) WHICH WE THEN MISSED BY A FEW MI. THIS CAPT HAS A TENDENCY TO SECOND GUESS ATC; ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO ALTS. HE TRIES TO STAY HIGH AS LONG AS POSSIBLE FOR FUEL CONSERVATION. ON OCCASION IT CAN LEAD TO TROUBLE, AS CAN BE SEEN ABOVE.

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.