An air carrier large transport missed its crossing restr on descent.

Attributes
ACN	272113
Time
Date	199405
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : mem tracon : mem
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : zme
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 3600
ASRS Report	272113
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 other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on the middy arrival to mem, given a clearance to cross middy at 10000 ft MSL and 250 KTS by ZME. I started my descent from 24000 ft computing a profile which would get me there with plenty of distance to spare. As we were switched to approach control at about 37 DME out, I noticed the gross error I had made. I had computed my profile to the VOR, not middy (30 DME) and was 5000-6000 ft high. I immediately increased my descent rate to the maximum and requested my copilot to ask for relief on the restr. The frequency was so congested we could not check in until about 6-8 mi past the fix when I leveled off. The controller was canceling the restr for other aircraft behind us. Nothing was ever mentioned about the missed restr by us or the controller. My arrival plate was clipped on the yoke in front of me and the copilot had his out. The other 2 crew members never caught my error! I called mem approach control and talked to the controller and told him I was high looking for relief, but couldn't get on the frequency due to congestion. He said there was no problem noted on my flight inbound. Needless to say, I talked to my crew about backing each other up in these and all sits.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT MISSED ITS XING RESTR ON DSCNT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE MIDDY ARR TO MEM, GIVEN A CLRNC TO CROSS MIDDY AT 10000 FT MSL AND 250 KTS BY ZME. I STARTED MY DSCNT FROM 24000 FT COMPUTING A PROFILE WHICH WOULD GET ME THERE WITH PLENTY OF DISTANCE TO SPARE. AS WE WERE SWITCHED TO APCH CTL AT ABOUT 37 DME OUT, I NOTICED THE GROSS ERROR I HAD MADE. I HAD COMPUTED MY PROFILE TO THE VOR, NOT MIDDY (30 DME) AND WAS 5000-6000 FT HIGH. I IMMEDIATELY INCREASED MY DSCNT RATE TO THE MAX AND REQUESTED MY COPLT TO ASK FOR RELIEF ON THE RESTR. THE FREQ WAS SO CONGESTED WE COULD NOT CHK IN UNTIL ABOUT 6-8 MI PAST THE FIX WHEN I LEVELED OFF. THE CTLR WAS CANCELING THE RESTR FOR OTHER ACFT BEHIND US. NOTHING WAS EVER MENTIONED ABOUT THE MISSED RESTR BY US OR THE CTLR. MY ARR PLATE WAS CLIPPED ON THE YOKE IN FRONT OF ME AND THE COPLT HAD HIS OUT. THE OTHER 2 CREW MEMBERS NEVER CAUGHT MY ERROR! I CALLED MEM APCH CTL AND TALKED TO THE CTLR AND TOLD HIM I WAS HIGH LOOKING FOR RELIEF, BUT COULDN'T GET ON THE FREQ DUE TO CONGESTION. HE SAID THERE WAS NO PROB NOTED ON MY FLT INBOUND. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I TALKED TO MY CREW ABOUT BACKING EACH OTHER UP IN THESE AND ALL SITS.

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.