Narrative:

Frequency 132.05, FL330. ATC facility: atl. Location: rmg. ZTL gave us a descent to cross erlin at 13000 ft, 250 KTS. We started down from FL290, altitude set in window and in FMC. Crossing altitude and speed set in FMC. Captain flying. I, first officer, was PNF and was working on the fmr codes for a landing light that would not retract. I asked the captain for MEL to see about restrs and extra fuel because we had used 800 pounds more. Just after looking at MEL, ATC asked if we were going to make the restr. We had 9 mi to go and 9000 ft. We told them we could not make the crossing and requested a turn. A series of 120 degree turns later we were back on the arrival at the proper speed. I have no idea why the FMC did not meet the altitude restr. We should have made the altitude restr by a number of mi. Supplemental information from acn 376659: in profile mode and inserted restr in FMS and began an immediate descent. Changed rate of descent to 1500 FPM and level bug showed leveloff short of rome. Adjusted rate to 1200 FPM and leveloff bug moved between rome and erlin. PF turned attention to arrival PA and 9 mi short of erlin, center asked if we would make the crossing. Completed a 360 degree turn and rejoined the arrival. I failed to manually compute altitude versus distance and relied on the FMS to correctly place the leveloff bug and in profile to take over the descent if parameters were exceeded.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: S80 FLC FAILS TO NOTE THAT THEIR FMC IS NOT GOING TO MAKE THE ALT XING RESTR PAST RMG DURING A NIGHT OP. FLC WAS BUSY, CAPT ON PA AND FO WORKING ON THE MEL FOR A LNDG LIGHT THAT HAD NOT RETRACTED AND HAS A CONCERN REGARDING ADDITIONAL FUEL BURN. CTLR CALLS FLT.

Narrative: FREQ 132.05, FL330. ATC FACILITY: ATL. LOCATION: RMG. ZTL GAVE US A DSCNT TO CROSS ERLIN AT 13000 FT, 250 KTS. WE STARTED DOWN FROM FL290, ALT SET IN WINDOW AND IN FMC. XING ALT AND SPD SET IN FMC. CAPT FLYING. I, FO, WAS PNF AND WAS WORKING ON THE FMR CODES FOR A LNDG LIGHT THAT WOULD NOT RETRACT. I ASKED THE CAPT FOR MEL TO SEE ABOUT RESTRS AND EXTRA FUEL BECAUSE WE HAD USED 800 LBS MORE. JUST AFTER LOOKING AT MEL, ATC ASKED IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE THE RESTR. WE HAD 9 MI TO GO AND 9000 FT. WE TOLD THEM WE COULD NOT MAKE THE XING AND REQUESTED A TURN. A SERIES OF 120 DEG TURNS LATER WE WERE BACK ON THE ARR AT THE PROPER SPD. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THE FMC DID NOT MEET THE ALT RESTR. WE SHOULD HAVE MADE THE ALT RESTR BY A NUMBER OF MI. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 376659: IN PROFILE MODE AND INSERTED RESTR IN FMS AND BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT. CHANGED RATE OF DSCNT TO 1500 FPM AND LEVEL BUG SHOWED LEVELOFF SHORT OF ROME. ADJUSTED RATE TO 1200 FPM AND LEVELOFF BUG MOVED BTWN ROME AND ERLIN. PF TURNED ATTN TO ARR PA AND 9 MI SHORT OF ERLIN, CTR ASKED IF WE WOULD MAKE THE XING. COMPLETED A 360 DEG TURN AND REJOINED THE ARR. I FAILED TO MANUALLY COMPUTE ALT VERSUS DISTANCE AND RELIED ON THE FMS TO CORRECTLY PLACE THE LEVELOFF BUG AND IN PROFILE TO TAKE OVER THE DSCNT IF PARAMETERS WERE EXCEEDED.

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.