Altitude crossing restr not met.

Attributes
ACN	298890
Time
Date	199502
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : atl artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
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 : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	298890
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At approximately 55 mi southwest of atl at FL240 we were issued 'cross 40 mi southwest of atl at and maintain 12000 ft.' after configuring the aircraft for descent we saw we could not make the crossing. ZTL was too busy passing instructions to other aircraft for us to inform him. Suggest controllers advise flcs to attempt the crossing while apreqing a high arrival.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT XING RESTR NOT MET.

Narrative: AT APPROX 55 MI SW OF ATL AT FL240 WE WERE ISSUED 'CROSS 40 MI SW OF ATL AT AND MAINTAIN 12000 FT.' AFTER CONFIGURING THE ACFT FOR DSCNT WE SAW WE COULD NOT MAKE THE XING. ZTL WAS TOO BUSY PASSING INSTRUCTIONS TO OTHER ACFT FOR US TO INFORM HIM. SUGGEST CTLRS ADVISE FLCS TO ATTEMPT THE XING WHILE APREQING A HIGH ARR.

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.