Narrative:

Late flight to phl from las. We had been in cruise flight at FL370 for about 3 hours when instructed fly directly to the lrp VORTAC. A subsequent communication instructed us to cross 40 DME west of lrp at FL250. I programmed the crossing restr into the FMC and allowed the computer to calculate a vertical descent path. At this point we had been given no speed restrs and I was not anticipating one due to the time of our arrival. Eventually, the airplane captured the computed vertical path and it initiated a 'managed' descent. We reported leaving FL370 to center and he acknowledged our communication. A few mins later he called us back and told us to reduce speed to 300 KIAS for traffic we were following into phl. I complied and made a mental note that we'd now be high on descent profile, so I switched descent modes from 'managed' to 'open' (idle). As we were still above the recommended speed brake deployment altitude (this recommended altitude is not limiting), I elected to wait a few mins before extending them and thereby give our passenger a smoother ride. Around this time the cockpit became fairly busy (the captain joined me on communication #1 from having been off getting ATIS and arrival gate information), we discussed the WX at phl and the approach I would be flying. At one point a flight attendant entered the cockpit to request some special service item. Needless to say, I ended up missing my crossing by nearly 900 ft. By the time I extended the speed brakes it was too late to rejoin the vertical profile without exceeding my assigned speed. What I've learned is, with the great number of late flts my company flies, it is necessary to be especially vigilant to critical flight elements such as altitudes. This is particularly important on the first day of a trip (as this was) when one is still in the process of adapting one's body clock to an alien circadian rhythm.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR A320 FLC GETS DISTRACTED AND CROSSES A NAV FIX TOO HIGH. THE FLC BLAMES THE DISTRACTIONS AND CIRCADIAN RHYTHM UPSET.

Narrative: LATE FLT TO PHL FROM LAS. WE HAD BEEN IN CRUISE FLT AT FL370 FOR ABOUT 3 HRS WHEN INSTRUCTED FLY DIRECTLY TO THE LRP VORTAC. A SUBSEQUENT COM INSTRUCTED US TO CROSS 40 DME W OF LRP AT FL250. I PROGRAMMED THE XING RESTR INTO THE FMC AND ALLOWED THE COMPUTER TO CALCULATE A VERT DSCNT PATH. AT THIS POINT WE HAD BEEN GIVEN NO SPD RESTRS AND I WAS NOT ANTICIPATING ONE DUE TO THE TIME OF OUR ARR. EVENTUALLY, THE AIRPLANE CAPTURED THE COMPUTED VERT PATH AND IT INITIATED A 'MANAGED' DSCNT. WE RPTED LEAVING FL370 TO CTR AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED OUR COM. A FEW MINS LATER HE CALLED US BACK AND TOLD US TO REDUCE SPD TO 300 KIAS FOR TFC WE WERE FOLLOWING INTO PHL. I COMPLIED AND MADE A MENTAL NOTE THAT WE'D NOW BE HIGH ON DSCNT PROFILE, SO I SWITCHED DSCNT MODES FROM 'MANAGED' TO 'OPEN' (IDLE). AS WE WERE STILL ABOVE THE RECOMMENDED SPD BRAKE DEPLOYMENT ALT (THIS RECOMMENDED ALT IS NOT LIMITING), I ELECTED TO WAIT A FEW MINS BEFORE EXTENDING THEM AND THEREBY GIVE OUR PAX A SMOOTHER RIDE. AROUND THIS TIME THE COCKPIT BECAME FAIRLY BUSY (THE CAPT JOINED ME ON COM #1 FROM HAVING BEEN OFF GETTING ATIS AND ARR GATE INFO), WE DISCUSSED THE WX AT PHL AND THE APCH I WOULD BE FLYING. AT ONE POINT A FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE COCKPIT TO REQUEST SOME SPECIAL SVC ITEM. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I ENDED UP MISSING MY XING BY NEARLY 900 FT. BY THE TIME I EXTENDED THE SPD BRAKES IT WAS TOO LATE TO REJOIN THE VERT PROFILE WITHOUT EXCEEDING MY ASSIGNED SPD. WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS, WITH THE GREAT NUMBER OF LATE FLTS MY COMPANY FLIES, IT IS NECESSARY TO BE ESPECIALLY VIGILANT TO CRITICAL FLT ELEMENTS SUCH AS ALTS. THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT ON THE FIRST DAY OF A TRIP (AS THIS WAS) WHEN ONE IS STILL IN THE PROCESS OF ADAPTING ONE'S BODY CLOCK TO AN ALIEN CIRCADIAN RHYTHM.

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.