Narrative:

I was performing PNF duties in my role as instructor pilot giving IOE to the qualifying first officer who was flying the aircraft. Due to the mountains east of sjc, it is not usually possible to get ATIS and talk to company until within 80-90 mi out and the descent from cruise has already been initiated. While I was off center frequency getting ATIS and talking to company, center cleared us to 12000 ft so as to cross hyp at or below 16000 ft. In my effort to explain to the qualifying first officer how to properly program the FMC to accomplish this, I failed to notice until too late that we were too high and close to hyp to make the restr. Center gave us a left turn to 180 degrees and we went to maximum descent rate. I failed to stay ahead of my student and the airplane at a very busy and critical time.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLC FAILS TO MAKE XING RESTR. FO WHO WAS FLYING ON IOE AND CAPT WERE TRYING TO PROGRAM THE FMC AND LOST AWARENESS OF THE RESTR.

Narrative: I WAS PERFORMING PNF DUTIES IN MY ROLE AS INSTRUCTOR PLT GIVING IOE TO THE QUALIFYING FO WHO WAS FLYING THE ACFT. DUE TO THE MOUNTAINS E OF SJC, IT IS NOT USUALLY POSSIBLE TO GET ATIS AND TALK TO COMPANY UNTIL WITHIN 80-90 MI OUT AND THE DSCNT FROM CRUISE HAS ALREADY BEEN INITIATED. WHILE I WAS OFF CTR FREQ GETTING ATIS AND TALKING TO COMPANY, CTR CLRED US TO 12000 FT SO AS TO CROSS HYP AT OR BELOW 16000 FT. IN MY EFFORT TO EXPLAIN TO THE QUALIFYING FO HOW TO PROPERLY PROGRAM THE FMC TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, I FAILED TO NOTICE UNTIL TOO LATE THAT WE WERE TOO HIGH AND CLOSE TO HYP TO MAKE THE RESTR. CTR GAVE US A L TURN TO 180 DEGS AND WE WENT TO MAX DSCNT RATE. I FAILED TO STAY AHEAD OF MY STUDENT AND THE AIRPLANE AT A VERY BUSY AND CRITICAL TIME.

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.