Flight crew of medium large transport failed to meet crossing restr on descent in dca area.

Attributes
ACN	426150
Time
Date	199901
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ott
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7800 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	426150
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were instructed by ZDC to descend from FL290 to FL240 by 70 NM south of ott. The captain entered the required information into the FMC/MCP. The aircraft did not descend to FL240 as expected. Several mi prior to the restr, ZDC inquired as to whether or not we would make the restr. I informed center that we would be unable to make the restr as we began the descent in the vertical speed mode on the MCP. Center came back shortly thereafter and instructed us to make jaybo at 15000 ft MSL. We complied with that restr. The airspace at that time appeared to be relatively quiet as evidenced by the lack of volume in VHF radio traffic. We know of no aircraft-to- aircraft conflict.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MLG FAILED TO MEET XING RESTR ON DSCNT IN DCA AREA.

Narrative: WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY ZDC TO DSND FROM FL290 TO FL240 BY 70 NM S OF OTT. THE CAPT ENTERED THE REQUIRED INFO INTO THE FMC/MCP. THE ACFT DID NOT DSND TO FL240 AS EXPECTED. SEVERAL MI PRIOR TO THE RESTR, ZDC INQUIRED AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE WOULD MAKE THE RESTR. I INFORMED CTR THAT WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO MAKE THE RESTR AS WE BEGAN THE DSCNT IN THE VERT SPD MODE ON THE MCP. CTR CAME BACK SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND INSTRUCTED US TO MAKE JAYBO AT 15000 FT MSL. WE COMPLIED WITH THAT RESTR. THE AIRSPACE AT THAT TIME APPEARED TO BE RELATIVELY QUIET AS EVIDENCED BY THE LACK OF VOLUME IN VHF RADIO TFC. WE KNOW OF NO ACFT-TO- ACFT CONFLICT.

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.