Altitude deviation crossing restr not met flight crew distraction.

Attributes
ACN	315600
Time
Date	199509
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : stl tower : zan
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 arrival star : star enroute airway : zkc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 27000 flight time type : 16000
ASRS Report	315600
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
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Inbound to stl on the qball 2 arrival, we were supposed to cross qball (48 DME) at 15000 ft MSL, we actually crossed it at 16000 ft MSL descending rapidly. We were distracted by an annunciator light coming on prior to starting the descent. Light was caused by a popped circuit breaker. After resetting, it operated normally. First officer was flying. I noticed we were 52 DME from stl, and still 2600 ft too high. First officer increased vertical descent speed, but we still missed 48 DME by 1000 ft too high. I don't think there was any other traffic in the area. Center made no comment, 48 DME is the change-over point to approach from center.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV XING RESTR NOT MET FLC DISTR.

Narrative: INBOUND TO STL ON THE QBALL 2 ARR, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO CROSS QBALL (48 DME) AT 15000 FT MSL, WE ACTUALLY CROSSED IT AT 16000 FT MSL DSNDING RAPIDLY. WE WERE DISTRACTED BY AN ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT COMING ON PRIOR TO STARTING THE DSCNT. LIGHT WAS CAUSED BY A POPPED CIRCUIT BREAKER. AFTER RESETTING, IT OPERATED NORMALLY. FO WAS FLYING. I NOTICED WE WERE 52 DME FROM STL, AND STILL 2600 FT TOO HIGH. FO INCREASED VERT DSCNT SPD, BUT WE STILL MISSED 48 DME BY 1000 FT TOO HIGH. I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANY OTHER TFC IN THE AREA. CTR MADE NO COMMENT, 48 DME IS THE CHANGE-OVER POINT TO APCH FROM CTR.

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.