Reporter fails to comply with altitude restr.

Attributes
ACN	297674
Time
Date	199503
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute airway : mem
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	297674
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During descent into memphis on the walet 7 arrival, controller issued a clearance to descend to 10000 ft and 250 KIAS by walet. I failed to make the crossing restr in time. A contributing factor in the incident was lack of sufficient crew rest. During stay at hotel, hotel staff and guests repeatedly awakened me throughout the day. The resulting fatigue contributed to a lack of situational awareness. During the descent, the captain, so and I engaged in unrelated conversation. This served as a distraction. By the time I realized we had failed to make crossing restr, the controller called and vectored us down to a lower altitude. Corrective action: 1) when crew rest is interrupted in the future, I should call in fatigued. 2) instead of a 'sterile cockpit' environment starting at 10000 ft and below during descent, I shall strive to begin a 'sterile cockpit' at the beginning of descent from respective flight level.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR FAILS TO COMPLY WITH ALT RESTR.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT INTO MEMPHIS ON THE WALET 7 ARR, CTLR ISSUED A CLRNC TO DSND TO 10000 FT AND 250 KIAS BY WALET. I FAILED TO MAKE THE XING RESTR IN TIME. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THE INCIDENT WAS LACK OF SUFFICIENT CREW REST. DURING STAY AT HOTEL, HOTEL STAFF AND GUESTS REPEATEDLY AWAKENED ME THROUGHOUT THE DAY. THE RESULTING FATIGUE CONTRIBUTED TO A LACK OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. DURING THE DSCNT, THE CAPT, SO AND I ENGAGED IN UNRELATED CONVERSATION. THIS SERVED AS A DISTR. BY THE TIME I REALIZED WE HAD FAILED TO MAKE XING RESTR, THE CTLR CALLED AND VECTORED US DOWN TO A LOWER ALT. CORRECTIVE ACTION: 1) WHEN CREW REST IS INTERRUPTED IN THE FUTURE, I SHOULD CALL IN FATIGUED. 2) INSTEAD OF A 'STERILE COCKPIT' ENVIRONMENT STARTING AT 10000 FT AND BELOW DURING DSCNT, I SHALL STRIVE TO BEGIN A 'STERILE COCKPIT' AT THE BEGINNING OF DSCNT FROM RESPECTIVE FLT LEVEL.

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.