Narrative:

Inbound to mem via direct gqe and gilmore arrival to mem. At approximately 40 mi north of gqe at FL290, we were given clearance to cross 15 mi north of gqe at 12000 ft. We began immediate descent, and as so, I began preparation for landing (making sure things were secure, cockpit door open, passenger aware of arrival). This crossing restr would require a very high rate of descent while we were still at cruise airspeed. Upon returning to my seat and joining the other crew members, I noticed that we were 13-14 mi north of gqe and had not yet met our crossing restr. I inquired as to whether the restr had been deleted by ATC. Both other crew members indicated it had not, but that the frequency of ATC was so congested that they could not get through to make the situation known. In retrospect, I see the need for my attending to prelndg duties should come at an earlier time. There is a need to be 'up front' with the other crew members during important phases of flight -- including the approach environment. We should have made it clear initially to ATC that we may have had a hard time meeting our crossing restr. This would have given them a heads up on the situation. In speaking to approach control afterwards on the ground, I was informed that there were no problems resulting from out situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF DC10 IN DSCNT FAILS TO MAKE THEIR XING RESTR. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO NOTIFY ATC IN ADVANCE.

Narrative: INBOUND TO MEM VIA DIRECT GQE AND GILMORE ARR TO MEM. AT APPROX 40 MI N OF GQE AT FL290, WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS 15 MI N OF GQE AT 12000 FT. WE BEGAN IMMEDIATE DSCNT, AND AS SO, I BEGAN PREPARATION FOR LNDG (MAKING SURE THINGS WERE SECURE, COCKPIT DOOR OPEN, PAX AWARE OF ARR). THIS XING RESTR WOULD REQUIRE A VERY HIGH RATE OF DSCNT WHILE WE WERE STILL AT CRUISE AIRSPD. UPON RETURNING TO MY SEAT AND JOINING THE OTHER CREW MEMBERS, I NOTICED THAT WE WERE 13-14 MI N OF GQE AND HAD NOT YET MET OUR XING RESTR. I INQUIRED AS TO WHETHER THE RESTR HAD BEEN DELETED BY ATC. BOTH OTHER CREW MEMBERS INDICATED IT HAD NOT, BUT THAT THE FREQ OF ATC WAS SO CONGESTED THAT THEY COULD NOT GET THROUGH TO MAKE THE SIT KNOWN. IN RETROSPECT, I SEE THE NEED FOR MY ATTENDING TO PRELNDG DUTIES SHOULD COME AT AN EARLIER TIME. THERE IS A NEED TO BE 'UP FRONT' WITH THE OTHER CREW MEMBERS DURING IMPORTANT PHASES OF FLT -- INCLUDING THE APCH ENVIRONMENT. WE SHOULD HAVE MADE IT CLR INITIALLY TO ATC THAT WE MAY HAVE HAD A HARD TIME MEETING OUR XING RESTR. THIS WOULD HAVE GIVEN THEM A HEADS UP ON THE SIT. IN SPEAKING TO APCH CTL AFTERWARDS ON THE GND, I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO PROBS RESULTING FROM OUT SIT.

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.