CL65 crew does not make crossing restr.

Attributes
ACN	432631
Time
Date	199903
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : lrp.vortac
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 21500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Challenger CL604
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 6600 flight time type : 90
ASRS Report	432631
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on a reduced rest overnight coming out of burlington, vt. The first officer was the PF, and we were level at FL290. We were east of lrp VORTAC by some distance and I went off of communication #1 to pick up ATIS. As the reception was weak, I had to listen several times. During this time, ZNY gave the first officer a crossing restr of 20 mi east of lrp at FL200. He programmed it into the FMS, and by the time I was back on communication #1, had started a descent, at this time center asked if we were going to make our restr. I looked over at the first officer's mfd's VNAV window, and it called for a descent rate of 1800 FPM and as we were doing 2000 FPM, replied we would. As it turns out the first officer misprogrammed the FMS, and we were about 2000 ft high 3 mi west of the fix. This particular FMS has a peculiar problem. If there are too many fixes or the distance is too great between you and the fix defines your restr, you can't enter it directly. You now have to do some computer gymnastics on what is called the 'fix page' and place it where you want it. If it is placed improperly, it can cause a problem. This is what happened. Things were compounded by the fact that I was not able to monitor the FMS inputs, because I was off frequency and unaware of what the first officer's FMS inputs were. No loss of separation occurred that I'm aware of.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65 CREW DOES NOT MAKE XING RESTR.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A REDUCED REST OVERNIGHT COMING OUT OF BURLINGTON, VT. THE FO WAS THE PF, AND WE WERE LEVEL AT FL290. WE WERE E OF LRP VORTAC BY SOME DISTANCE AND I WENT OFF OF COM #1 TO PICK UP ATIS. AS THE RECEPTION WAS WEAK, I HAD TO LISTEN SEVERAL TIMES. DURING THIS TIME, ZNY GAVE THE FO A XING RESTR OF 20 MI E OF LRP AT FL200. HE PROGRAMMED IT INTO THE FMS, AND BY THE TIME I WAS BACK ON COM #1, HAD STARTED A DSCNT, AT THIS TIME CTR ASKED IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE OUR RESTR. I LOOKED OVER AT THE FO'S MFD'S VNAV WINDOW, AND IT CALLED FOR A DSCNT RATE OF 1800 FPM AND AS WE WERE DOING 2000 FPM, REPLIED WE WOULD. AS IT TURNS OUT THE FO MISPROGRAMMED THE FMS, AND WE WERE ABOUT 2000 FT HIGH 3 MI W OF THE FIX. THIS PARTICULAR FMS HAS A PECULIAR PROB. IF THERE ARE TOO MANY FIXES OR THE DISTANCE IS TOO GREAT BTWN YOU AND THE FIX DEFINES YOUR RESTR, YOU CAN'T ENTER IT DIRECTLY. YOU NOW HAVE TO DO SOME COMPUTER GYMNASTICS ON WHAT IS CALLED THE 'FIX PAGE' AND PLACE IT WHERE YOU WANT IT. IF IT IS PLACED IMPROPERLY, IT CAN CAUSE A PROB. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED. THINGS WERE COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT I WAS NOT ABLE TO MONITOR THE FMS INPUTS, BECAUSE I WAS OFF FREQ AND UNAWARE OF WHAT THE FO'S FMS INPUTS WERE. NO LOSS OF SEPARATION OCCURRED THAT I'M AWARE OF.

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.