An MD80 flight crew fails to make their assigned altitude crossing restr at kayla intersection, mo.

Attributes
ACN	528179
Time
Date	200110
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ftz.vortac
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc tracon : t75.tracon tower : dca.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : trake 8
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 16850 flight time type : 2750
ASRS Report	528179
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : anomaly accepted other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route mci-stl at cruise flight level of FL240 about 50 mi west of the ftz VOR while on the 'trake eight' arrival. We were given clearance to cross the kayla intersection at 15000 ft pilot discretion. Since we were on a short flight plan we were a bit late in realizing how strong of a tailwind we were experiencing. Upon realization of the wind, we immediately began our descent and immediately realized there could be a problem making the restr. We tried to confess to the ZKC controller but he was busy conversing with another aircraft over some other issue. After the conversation ended with this aircraft, I told him we might not make the crossing and we could accept a vector off course. He merely switched us to stl approach who made no comment about being a bit late on the crossing (2-3 mi). We then proceeded normally into stl. Not being able to communicate in a timely manner could be a critical element at times.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLC FAILS TO MAKE THEIR ASSIGNED ALT XING RESTR AT KAYLA INTXN, MO.

Narrative: ENRTE MCI-STL AT CRUISE FLT LEVEL OF FL240 ABOUT 50 MI W OF THE FTZ VOR WHILE ON THE 'TRAKE EIGHT' ARR. WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS THE KAYLA INTXN AT 15000 FT PLT DISCRETION. SINCE WE WERE ON A SHORT FLT PLAN WE WERE A BIT LATE IN REALIZING HOW STRONG OF A TAILWIND WE WERE EXPERIENCING. UPON REALIZATION OF THE WIND, WE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN OUR DSCNT AND IMMEDIATELY REALIZED THERE COULD BE A PROB MAKING THE RESTR. WE TRIED TO CONFESS TO THE ZKC CTLR BUT HE WAS BUSY CONVERSING WITH ANOTHER ACFT OVER SOME OTHER ISSUE. AFTER THE CONVERSATION ENDED WITH THIS ACFT, I TOLD HIM WE MIGHT NOT MAKE THE XING AND WE COULD ACCEPT A VECTOR OFF COURSE. HE MERELY SWITCHED US TO STL APCH WHO MADE NO COMMENT ABOUT BEING A BIT LATE ON THE XING (2-3 MI). WE THEN PROCEEDED NORMALLY INTO STL. NOT BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE IN A TIMELY MANNER COULD BE A CRITICAL ELEMENT AT TIMES.

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.