Medium large transport crew did not make crossing restr altitude.

Attributes
ACN	443300
Time
Date	199907
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : cugar 6
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 12000
ASRS Report	443300
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We had departed a holding pattern and were on vectors, perhaps 60 mi from the airport. The vectors took us over the 305 degree radial several times, so we were lulled into a state of disregarding the cugar 6 arrival, of not intercepting the radial. We were not descending as fast as we could have, as approach was giving us successively lower altitude assignments. When approach told us to intercept the radial inbound, and cross hoagi at 10000 ft, we were too high to do it. Approach knew we would likely miss it, as she first allowed us to pick our descent speed up, and later on a frequency handoff, she thanked us for trying our best. Best way to avoid this in the future is not to get lulled into sleep while on vectors.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG CREW DID NOT MAKE XING RESTR ALT.

Narrative: WE HAD DEPARTED A HOLDING PATTERN AND WERE ON VECTORS, PERHAPS 60 MI FROM THE ARPT. THE VECTORS TOOK US OVER THE 305 DEG RADIAL SEVERAL TIMES, SO WE WERE LULLED INTO A STATE OF DISREGARDING THE CUGAR 6 ARR, OF NOT INTERCEPTING THE RADIAL. WE WERE NOT DSNDING AS FAST AS WE COULD HAVE, AS APCH WAS GIVING US SUCCESSIVELY LOWER ALT ASSIGNMENTS. WHEN APCH TOLD US TO INTERCEPT THE RADIAL INBOUND, AND CROSS HOAGI AT 10000 FT, WE WERE TOO HIGH TO DO IT. APCH KNEW WE WOULD LIKELY MISS IT, AS SHE FIRST ALLOWED US TO PICK OUR DSCNT SPD UP, AND LATER ON A FREQ HDOF, SHE THANKED US FOR TRYING OUR BEST. BEST WAY TO AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE IS NOT TO GET LULLED INTO SLEEP WHILE ON VECTORS.

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.