Narrative:

We were requested to descend to cross 35 NM northwest of ign at FL290. We had initially programmed into the FMC a normal descent. We reprogrammed the FMC and, with the tail wind component, the aircraft was unable to meet the descent criteria specified. We were a little late in realizing this due, I am sure, to fatigue (7300 mi csa-jfk). ATC requested that we increase our rate of descent. I thanked them for the timely reminder. Shortly thereafter I advised them that it would be very difficult to comply with the restriction. As it turned out, we were unable to comply. There were many vectors and clrncs around that time as well. What caused the problem? Fatigue was, I am sure, a part of it. I had with me an extremely sharp copilot, yet we still were slow to advise ATC. The sleep in the crew bunk helps, but it is somehow not quite the same as home or hotel sleep. Fortunately, no conflict was caused to the best of my knowledge, nor any ATC problem. While we started down immediately, we may have been a little slow completing the FMC programming, and initially it would not accept the inputed altitude restr, although we, and the other pilot on the jump seat agreed that we were inputting correctly. We were cleared to a lower altitude immediately after the fix.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: WE WERE REQUESTED TO DSND TO CROSS 35 NM NW OF IGN AT FL290. WE HAD INITIALLY PROGRAMMED INTO THE FMC A NORMAL DSCNT. WE REPROGRAMMED THE FMC AND, WITH THE TAIL WIND COMPONENT, THE ACFT WAS UNABLE TO MEET THE DSCNT CRITERIA SPECIFIED. WE WERE A LITTLE LATE IN REALIZING THIS DUE, I AM SURE, TO FATIGUE (7300 MI CSA-JFK). ATC REQUESTED THAT WE INCREASE OUR RATE OF DSCNT. I THANKED THEM FOR THE TIMELY REMINDER. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I ADVISED THEM THAT IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO COMPLY WITH THE RESTRICTION. AS IT TURNED OUT, WE WERE UNABLE TO COMPLY. THERE WERE MANY VECTORS AND CLRNCS AROUND THAT TIME AS WELL. WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM? FATIGUE WAS, I AM SURE, A PART OF IT. I HAD WITH ME AN EXTREMELY SHARP COPLT, YET WE STILL WERE SLOW TO ADVISE ATC. THE SLEEP IN THE CREW BUNK HELPS, BUT IT IS SOMEHOW NOT QUITE THE SAME AS HOME OR HOTEL SLEEP. FORTUNATELY, NO CONFLICT WAS CAUSED TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, NOR ANY ATC PROBLEM. WHILE WE STARTED DOWN IMMEDIATELY, WE MAY HAVE BEEN A LITTLE SLOW COMPLETING THE FMC PROGRAMMING, AND INITIALLY IT WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE INPUTED ALT RESTR, ALTHOUGH WE, AND THE OTHER PLT ON THE JUMP SEAT AGREED THAT WE WERE INPUTTING CORRECTLY. WE WERE CLRED TO A LOWER ALT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FIX.

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.