Flight crew failed to descend in time to make a crossing restr on a STAR arrival.

Attributes
ACN	350930
Time
Date	199610
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : czq
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 27400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
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
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 14200 flight time type : 11200
ASRS Report	350930
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight from bur to smf. At about 120 NM from smf, given clearance to cross turlo at or below FL270 for FL240. At cruise at FL350, just prior to descent point, flight attendant entered cockpit to check on crew. 2 mins later, center inquired about crossing restr at turlo. Expedited, crossing turlo at FL270, descending at 4600 FPM. Center called turlo at FL274. 2 NM past turlo, again queried by center as to altitude, which was then FL258. No further comment. Without knowing the particulars of their radar, it appeared to us that the computer was lagging behind in readout due to our high rate of descent.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC FAILED TO DSND IN TIME TO MAKE A XING RESTR ON A STAR ARR.

Narrative: FLT FROM BUR TO SMF. AT ABOUT 120 NM FROM SMF, GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS TURLO AT OR BELOW FL270 FOR FL240. AT CRUISE AT FL350, JUST PRIOR TO DSCNT POINT, FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED COCKPIT TO CHK ON CREW. 2 MINS LATER, CTR INQUIRED ABOUT XING RESTR AT TURLO. EXPEDITED, XING TURLO AT FL270, DSNDING AT 4600 FPM. CTR CALLED TURLO AT FL274. 2 NM PAST TURLO, AGAIN QUERIED BY CTR AS TO ALT, WHICH WAS THEN FL258. NO FURTHER COMMENT. WITHOUT KNOWING THE PARTICULARS OF THEIR RADAR, IT APPEARED TO US THAT THE COMPUTER WAS LAGGING BEHIND IN READOUT DUE TO OUR HIGH RATE OF DSCNT.

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.