Regional Jet 700 ER/LR (CRJ700)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Undershoot; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Aircraft; Procedure; Human Factors
On the VKTRY2 RNAV arrival into DFW; we were kept high; and requested to maintain 310 knots. Then; pretty late; we were cleared to 'Descend Via the VKTRY2 RNAV arrival'. It was not clear if they wanted us to maintain 310 knots or the speeds on the arrival; and by the time we could ask; we were too high to make the altitude crossing restriction at GLOKK. We advised ATC that we were not going to make the crossing restriction; although it ended up being close. After GLOKK; we continued on the profile of the arrival; and made the approach and landing uneventfully.The root cause of not making the crossing restriction; was that we were kept quite high until cleared to descend via; and given confusing speed assignments. A contributing factor was a high workload on the arrival; together with unfamiliarity with this airport; that may have caused a distraction in which we did not realize on time; that we were not descending quickly enough to make this crossing restriction.Especially in unfamiliar airports; it is important to study the arrival carefully; and try to identify any crossing restrictions that could be potentially challenging. Additionally; it is important to constantly watch the required rate of descent required for all the points ahead on the arrival; and monitor closely any rates that start looking excessive. If they do; query ATC for the need to descend; or start slowing down if able; to assist in loosing energy; making it easier to descend rapidly.
We were arriving into KDFW via VKTRY2 / TURKI arrival procedure. We were given by DFW center; descent via VKTRY2 arrival approximately 40 miles west of GLOKK waypoint at approximately FL290 and descending. Approximately 15 miles west of GLOKK waypoint I noticed we were too high on the descent to cross GLOKK crossing restriction of 17000 & FL190. I increased the descent rate tried to meet the restriction. However; when we crossed the GLOKK; we were approximately 20;500 feet. The rest of arrival and landing procedures were uneventful.The root cause of this event may be not paying attention to all the crossing restriction on the arrival as well as unfamiliar arrival procedure performed by the flight crew. ATC also delayed the descent profile leaving aircraft high in altitude prior to provide descent via instructions. We need to be thoroughly aware and study the arrival procedure prior to operate the arrival into high congested airports and mentally aware of distance / altitude relationships to meet the requirements.
CRJ-700 flight crew reported a late descent clearance from ZFW on the VKTRY2 RNAV arrival resulting in a missed crossing restriction at GLOKK.