B757 flight crew fails to descend in a timely manner to comply with a crossing restriction. Fatigue was cited as a contributing factor.
Synopsis
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.
Second reporter narrative
Captain asked for lower anticipating a clearance to cross FALKO at 10;000 FT and 250 KTS. After issuing clearances to two or three other aircraft; the Washington Center Controller gave clearance to cross FALKO at 10;000 FT and 250 KTS and a frequency change to Potomac Approach. I immediately began an idle descent. The Captain checked in and told the Controller we would need relief at FALKO. The Controller responded that there was no traffic and that would not be a problem; but gave the Captain another frequency change saying that was the correct frequency for us. The Captain was unable to confirm that we actually had been given relief from the 10;000 FT crossing restriction before we crossed the fix approximately 2;500 FT high. We were cleared to descend via the BARIN STAR. The remainder of the descent; approach and landing were normal.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.