Narrative:

Descending on the pullman arrival into ord we were descending to 14000 ft, the first officer was flying (he had just completed his IOE, then went on military leave for 30 days prior to this trip). Center cleared us to be at 10000 ft at story intersection. Just as this clearance was received, the 'a' flight attendant came into the cockpit with several cabin write-ups. As I was inserting these write-ups into the ACARS, center called and stated that he believed we would not make our altitude at story. I looked at the instruments and agreed. We were only descending at 1000 FPM and were 10-14 mi away. I told the first officer to increase rate of descent and deploy speed brakes. I asked center if he wanted us to turn. He replied just get below 13000 ft as soon as possible. We crossed story at 10500 ft. Controller handed us off to approach for further descent and thanked us for our help. The first officer was a little rusty with procedures and situational awareness after his 30 day leave. I would recommend to my company not to allow new hires to leave for extended periods until they get more experience with the aircraft and the company. Also feel the distraction factor of the cabin write-ups so close to ord had something to do with not monitoring our progress.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ACFT WITH CLRNC FOR XING RESTR, FLC MISJUDGED DSCNT RATE AND CROSSED 500 FT HIGH.

Narrative: DSNDING ON THE PULLMAN ARR INTO ORD WE WERE DSNDING TO 14000 FT, THE FO WAS FLYING (HE HAD JUST COMPLETED HIS IOE, THEN WENT ON MIL LEAVE FOR 30 DAYS PRIOR TO THIS TRIP). CTR CLRED US TO BE AT 10000 FT AT STORY INTXN. JUST AS THIS CLRNC WAS RECEIVED, THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT CAME INTO THE COCKPIT WITH SEVERAL CABIN WRITE-UPS. AS I WAS INSERTING THESE WRITE-UPS INTO THE ACARS, CTR CALLED AND STATED THAT HE BELIEVED WE WOULD NOT MAKE OUR ALT AT STORY. I LOOKED AT THE INSTS AND AGREED. WE WERE ONLY DSNDING AT 1000 FPM AND WERE 10-14 MI AWAY. I TOLD THE FO TO INCREASE RATE OF DSCNT AND DEPLOY SPD BRAKES. I ASKED CTR IF HE WANTED US TO TURN. HE REPLIED JUST GET BELOW 13000 FT ASAP. WE CROSSED STORY AT 10500 FT. CTLR HANDED US OFF TO APCH FOR FURTHER DSCNT AND THANKED US FOR OUR HELP. THE FO WAS A LITTLE RUSTY WITH PROCS AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AFTER HIS 30 DAY LEAVE. I WOULD RECOMMEND TO MY COMPANY NOT TO ALLOW NEW HIRES TO LEAVE FOR EXTENDED PERIODS UNTIL THEY GET MORE EXPERIENCE WITH THE ACFT AND THE COMPANY. ALSO FEEL THE DISTR FACTOR OF THE CABIN WRITE-UPS SO CLOSE TO ORD HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH NOT MONITORING OUR PROGRESS.

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.