Narrative:

Approaching civet approximately 10 DME east at FL260, cleared direct snrkl (mitts 1 arrival) had to utilize maximum effort (drag) to re-join profile during descent. Altitudes received from approach control was FL180 cross snrkl at or above 12000 ft. Speed assignment received prior to snrkl, 300 KTS, 280 KTS, 250 KTS, 180 KTS, 160 KTS. Several traffic notices received during descent. Cockpit workload was overwhelming between snrkl-JON22. Misset altitude preset instead of 10000 ft set 9000 ft. We did not realize this until approaching JON22. No comments made by ATC. Considerations -- first officer was on 4TH segment of line training. ATC communications and clearance extremely busy. Captain busy/task overload this period. Being the first time that I had to do a maximum descent (high dive) in aircraft and ATC environment. Captain was also busy giving instructions and guidance for best confign and profile to rejoin arrival. I felt that ATC waited much too long to give descent instructions in order to allow our flight to fly the arrival as published. I did query captain about requesting lower, but radio frequency was congested. ATC did ask us if we 'would be able to make it' as we approached civet. We were able to make the profile, but this led to our error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC FLYING A DC10-10 INTO LAX FAILS TO MEET AN ALT XING RESTR AS DEPICTED ON THE STAR.

Narrative: APCHING CIVET APPROX 10 DME E AT FL260, CLRED DIRECT SNRKL (MITTS 1 ARR) HAD TO UTILIZE MAX EFFORT (DRAG) TO RE-JOIN PROFILE DURING DSCNT. ALTS RECEIVED FROM APCH CTL WAS FL180 CROSS SNRKL AT OR ABOVE 12000 FT. SPD ASSIGNMENT RECEIVED PRIOR TO SNRKL, 300 KTS, 280 KTS, 250 KTS, 180 KTS, 160 KTS. SEVERAL TFC NOTICES RECEIVED DURING DSCNT. COCKPIT WORKLOAD WAS OVERWHELMING BTWN SNRKL-JON22. MISSET ALT PRESET INSTEAD OF 10000 FT SET 9000 FT. WE DID NOT REALIZE THIS UNTIL APCHING JON22. NO COMMENTS MADE BY ATC. CONSIDERATIONS -- FO WAS ON 4TH SEGMENT OF LINE TRAINING. ATC COMS AND CLRNC EXTREMELY BUSY. CAPT BUSY/TASK OVERLOAD THIS PERIOD. BEING THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAD TO DO A MAX DSCNT (HIGH DIVE) IN ACFT AND ATC ENVIRONMENT. CAPT WAS ALSO BUSY GIVING INSTRUCTIONS AND GUIDANCE FOR BEST CONFIGN AND PROFILE TO REJOIN ARR. I FELT THAT ATC WAITED MUCH TOO LONG TO GIVE DSCNT INSTRUCTIONS IN ORDER TO ALLOW OUR FLT TO FLY THE ARR AS PUBLISHED. I DID QUERY CAPT ABOUT REQUESTING LOWER, BUT RADIO FREQ WAS CONGESTED. ATC DID ASK US IF WE 'WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE IT' AS WE APCHED CIVET. WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THE PROFILE, BUT THIS LED TO OUR ERROR.

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.