Narrative:

ZDC issued a clearance to cross 15 NM northeast of balance at 12000 ft. The #1 navigation was dialed into balance for the crossing clearance DME. Later in the flight the first officer noticed something wrong with the DME and the chart. About the same time ATC asked if we will be able to make the crossing restr. I advised him unable. We were given a heading for our descent. After dialing in the #2 navigation to balance we discovered that the second digit (tenths) had somehow had gotten stuck giving an erroneous readout. Some factors which affected the situation, were higher workload at this particular time. ATIS was being received along with preparation for landing. These factors momentarily takes the PNF away from the PF, who has to now fly, work the radios and navigation. Sometimes a high workload in high density airports. Once again, the pilots have to become even more aware and alert in these types of sits.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-200 ACFT WITH DSCNT CLRNC XING RESTR, DME DIGIT STUCK AND FLC DIDN'T NOTICE UNTIL CTLR QUERIED THEIR DSCNT. CTLR GAVE A HEADING VECTOR.

Narrative: ZDC ISSUED A CLRNC TO CROSS 15 NM NE OF BAL AT 12000 FT. THE #1 NAV WAS DIALED INTO BAL FOR THE XING CLRNC DME. LATER IN THE FLT THE FO NOTICED SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE DME AND THE CHART. ABOUT THE SAME TIME ATC ASKED IF WE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE THE XING RESTR. I ADVISED HIM UNABLE. WE WERE GIVEN A HEADING FOR OUR DSCNT. AFTER DIALING IN THE #2 NAV TO BAL WE DISCOVERED THAT THE SECOND DIGIT (TENTHS) HAD SOMEHOW HAD GOTTEN STUCK GIVING AN ERRONEOUS READOUT. SOME FACTORS WHICH AFFECTED THE SIT, WERE HIGHER WORKLOAD AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME. ATIS WAS BEING RECEIVED ALONG WITH PREPARATION FOR LNDG. THESE FACTORS MOMENTARILY TAKES THE PNF AWAY FROM THE PF, WHO HAS TO NOW FLY, WORK THE RADIOS AND NAV. SOMETIMES A HIGH WORKLOAD IN HIGH DENSITY ARPTS. ONCE AGAIN, THE PLTS HAVE TO BECOME EVEN MORE AWARE AND ALERT IN THESE TYPES OF SITS.

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.