An air carrier B737 flight crew descended too late to meet a crossing altitude requirement.

Attributes
ACN	397980
Time
Date	199803
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tnv
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu artcc : zfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 15000
ASRS Report	397980
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The first officer was flying the aircraft. His computed descent point was from the college station VOR. However, we were subsequently cleared direct to navasota. I did not catch the error and instructed him to begin a rapid descent to meet the clearance altitude. I asked center to check with approach about the altitude, being high at marit. We were instructed to hurry to 10000 ft and then slow to 230 KTS. We apologized for the error. The first officer was relatively new to the company and to the aircraft. Bottom line is that I did not back him up and ensure that everything was done correctly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B737 FLC DSNDED TOO LATE TO MEET A XING ALT REQUIREMENT.

Narrative: THE FO WAS FLYING THE ACFT. HIS COMPUTED DSCNT POINT WAS FROM THE COLLEGE STATION VOR. HOWEVER, WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED DIRECT TO NAVASOTA. I DID NOT CATCH THE ERROR AND INSTRUCTED HIM TO BEGIN A RAPID DSCNT TO MEET THE CLRNC ALT. I ASKED CTR TO CHK WITH APCH ABOUT THE ALT, BEING HIGH AT MARIT. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO HURRY TO 10000 FT AND THEN SLOW TO 230 KTS. WE APOLOGIZED FOR THE ERROR. THE FO WAS RELATIVELY NEW TO THE COMPANY AND TO THE ACFT. BOTTOM LINE IS THAT I DID NOT BACK HIM UP AND ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS DONE CORRECTLY.

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.