Narrative:

Aircraft was on descent on clang 5 arrival into indianapolis. Autoplt was engaged, profile mode selected. We had received clearance to cross pends intersection at 11000 ft, 250 KTS for approach to runway 23L. We had received a series of step-downs in altitude starting 150 mi out. We were cleared out of FL250 to 11000 ft and the aircraft started down. Profile was not maintaining the desired airspeed, so I elected to extend the spdbrake. I then realized that we were only a few mi from pends and would not be able to comply with the crossing restrs. I asked the captain (PNF) to inform the controller, but there was so much radio chatter, he could not get a word in edgewise before we were sent to a different frequency. He had been heads down calling up ATIS on the ACARS, and did not see the events developing. We were both highly experienced in the aircraft, had flown together numerous times, and were very familiar (too familiar?) with the airport. The familiarity probably led to complacency. Also, using profile descent mode lulled me into a false sense that the aircraft would automatically meet the programmed restrs. I was also preoccupied, in my own mind, with trying to mentally work out my schedule for the next few days who would get kids to and from school, when would I have time to grocery shop, what time to bid to have time off for my elderly father's surgery, etc. I ignored the basic tenant of aviation first. Fly the airplane! (Note: menopausal heat flashes causing extreme discomfort was an added distraction.)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF WDB UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH XING RESTR ON CLANG ARR TO IND.

Narrative: ACFT WAS ON DSCNT ON CLANG 5 ARR INTO INDIANAPOLIS. AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED, PROFILE MODE SELECTED. WE HAD RECEIVED CLRNC TO CROSS PENDS INTXN AT 11000 FT, 250 KTS FOR APCH TO RWY 23L. WE HAD RECEIVED A SERIES OF STEP-DOWNS IN ALT STARTING 150 MI OUT. WE WERE CLRED OUT OF FL250 TO 11000 FT AND THE ACFT STARTED DOWN. PROFILE WAS NOT MAINTAINING THE DESIRED AIRSPD, SO I ELECTED TO EXTEND THE SPDBRAKE. I THEN REALIZED THAT WE WERE ONLY A FEW MI FROM PENDS AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE XING RESTRS. I ASKED THE CAPT (PNF) TO INFORM THE CTLR, BUT THERE WAS SO MUCH RADIO CHATTER, HE COULD NOT GET A WORD IN EDGEWISE BEFORE WE WERE SENT TO A DIFFERENT FREQ. HE HAD BEEN HEADS DOWN CALLING UP ATIS ON THE ACARS, AND DID NOT SEE THE EVENTS DEVELOPING. WE WERE BOTH HIGHLY EXPERIENCED IN THE ACFT, HAD FLOWN TOGETHER NUMEROUS TIMES, AND WERE VERY FAMILIAR (TOO FAMILIAR?) WITH THE ARPT. THE FAMILIARITY PROBABLY LED TO COMPLACENCY. ALSO, USING PROFILE DSCNT MODE LULLED ME INTO A FALSE SENSE THAT THE ACFT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY MEET THE PROGRAMMED RESTRS. I WAS ALSO PREOCCUPIED, IN MY OWN MIND, WITH TRYING TO MENTALLY WORK OUT MY SCHEDULE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS WHO WOULD GET KIDS TO AND FROM SCHOOL, WHEN WOULD I HAVE TIME TO GROCERY SHOP, WHAT TIME TO BID TO HAVE TIME OFF FOR MY ELDERLY FATHER'S SURGERY, ETC. I IGNORED THE BASIC TENANT OF AVIATION FIRST. FLY THE AIRPLANE! (NOTE: MENOPAUSAL HEAT FLASHES CAUSING EXTREME DISCOMFORT WAS AN ADDED DISTR.)

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.