Narrative:

Had a WX radar malfunction msy to msp with some possible WX in msp. Tops were FL250 with bases at 15000 ft MSL. Cleared to cross delzy at 11000 ft. First officer flying. Discussion made about no WX radar and we both agreed to stay at high altitude until clear to descend below bases due to no radar. First officer's experience in aircraft was approximately 2 months. We were descending at 6000 FPM. It appeared that we were not going to meet our crossing restr and told ATC that it would be close. We crossed delzy at 13000 ft MSL when ATC said we weren't even close. I don't know if altitude reporting equipment had caught up with aircraft, but I considered 2000 ft close. We were switched to approach control with no further action.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 FLC FAILS TO MAKE AN ALT XING RESTR WHILE DSNDING NEAR FGT, MN.

Narrative: HAD A WX RADAR MALFUNCTION MSY TO MSP WITH SOME POSSIBLE WX IN MSP. TOPS WERE FL250 WITH BASES AT 15000 FT MSL. CLRED TO CROSS DELZY AT 11000 FT. FO FLYING. DISCUSSION MADE ABOUT NO WX RADAR AND WE BOTH AGREED TO STAY AT HIGH ALT UNTIL CLR TO DSND BELOW BASES DUE TO NO RADAR. FO'S EXPERIENCE IN ACFT WAS APPROX 2 MONTHS. WE WERE DSNDING AT 6000 FPM. IT APPEARED THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO MEET OUR XING RESTR AND TOLD ATC THAT IT WOULD BE CLOSE. WE CROSSED DELZY AT 13000 FT MSL WHEN ATC SAID WE WEREN'T EVEN CLOSE. I DON'T KNOW IF ALT RPTING EQUIP HAD CAUGHT UP WITH ACFT, BUT I CONSIDERED 2000 FT CLOSE. WE WERE SWITCHED TO APCH CTL WITH NO FURTHER ACTION.

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.