An air carrier DC9-30 flight crew failed to cross a point at FL250 as assigned.

Attributes
ACN	346860
Time
Date	199609
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oxi
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 26000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 310
ASRS Report	346860
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer was flying. Cleared by ATC direct to knox VOR. Later on, ATC told us to descend to cross 30 mi east of knox VOR at FL250. First officer commented he was going to start down right away because he didn't want to forget. After he started the descent on the autoplt, I told him I was going off radio to get the ATIS. After coming back on, ATC asked how far our DME showed from knox which indicated 27 mi and altitude which was FL260. I was preoccupied looking at the approach plate after getting the ATIS and did not xchk to make sure the first officer was descending fast enough to make the crossing restr. We both were called out for this trip at XA15 am (reserve pilots) and were having a terrible day for some reason.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DC9-30 FLC FAILED TO CROSS A POINT AT FL250 AS ASSIGNED.

Narrative: FO WAS FLYING. CLRED BY ATC DIRECT TO KNOX VOR. LATER ON, ATC TOLD US TO DSND TO CROSS 30 MI E OF KNOX VOR AT FL250. FO COMMENTED HE WAS GOING TO START DOWN RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT TO FORGET. AFTER HE STARTED THE DSCNT ON THE AUTOPLT, I TOLD HIM I WAS GOING OFF RADIO TO GET THE ATIS. AFTER COMING BACK ON, ATC ASKED HOW FAR OUR DME SHOWED FROM KNOX WHICH INDICATED 27 MI AND ALT WHICH WAS FL260. I WAS PREOCCUPIED LOOKING AT THE APCH PLATE AFTER GETTING THE ATIS AND DID NOT XCHK TO MAKE SURE THE FO WAS DSNDING FAST ENOUGH TO MAKE THE XING RESTR. WE BOTH WERE CALLED OUT FOR THIS TRIP AT XA15 AM (RESERVE PLTS) AND WERE HAVING A TERRIBLE DAY FOR SOME REASON.

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.