Narrative:

We were cleared to cross falko at 250/10;000. We were at FL220. I got busy with the descent checklist while the pilot flying was checking the crossing altitudes on the barin arrival in the FMC. Suddenly he said; 'we need lower'. I called for lower and got the 250/10;000 clearance again (I could tell by the controller's voice.) I looked up and saw that the altitude was still set at 220. I dialed in 10;000 and the pilot flying pulled the plug. Then came a frequency change from ZDC center to potomac approach. I switched frequencies and saw we would not make the crossing. On check-in I requested relief at falko (we were only a few miles from it). The controller said there was no traffic out there but didn't specifically issue relief. Then he said we had the wrong frequency. By the time I got the correct one we were over falko at 13;000. The next controller did not comment. We continued the barin arrival without further event; except that the pilot flying was momentarily confused with the waypoints and their respective crossing restrictions; misreading the labeling (a very common mistake when fatigued). Both of us were tired. Both had completed an international trip the prior day. I came out of a trip with the wakeup call late in the evening.) the pilot flying came out of another international location. I slept poorly that night; if at all; and took the crew desk's call very early in the morning at home. It was a minimum call-out. I had a couple of short naps during the day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 flight crew fails to descend in a timely manner to comply with a crossing restriction. Fatigue was cited as a contributing factor.

Narrative: We were cleared to cross FALKO at 250/10;000. We were at FL220. I got busy with the descent checklist while the pilot flying was checking the crossing altitudes on the BARIN arrival in the FMC. Suddenly he said; 'We need lower'. I called for lower and got the 250/10;000 clearance again (I could tell by the Controller's voice.) I looked up and saw that the altitude was still set at 220. I dialed in 10;000 and the pilot flying pulled the plug. Then came a frequency change from ZDC Center to Potomac Approach. I switched frequencies and saw we would not make the crossing. On check-in I requested relief at FALKO (we were only a few miles from it). The Controller said there was no traffic out there but didn't specifically issue relief. Then he said we had the wrong frequency. By the time I got the correct one we were over FALKO at 13;000. The next Controller did not comment. We continued the Barin arrival without further event; except that the pilot flying was momentarily confused with the waypoints and their respective crossing restrictions; misreading the labeling (a very common mistake when fatigued). Both of us were tired. Both had completed an international trip the prior day. I came out of a trip with the wakeup call late in the evening.) The pilot flying came out of another international location. I slept poorly that night; if at all; and took the crew desk's call very early in the morning at home. It was a minimum call-out. I had a couple of short naps during the day.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.