Date: 201903
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: IAH.Airport, TX
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Embraer Jet Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Descent
Airspace: Class A ZHU
ATC / advisory: TRACON I90
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Not Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Human factors: Distraction; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation - Altitude Undershoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: Arriving to IAH via the DRLLR 5 RNAV Arrival. Numerous errors occurred. Started with being given a descent from our cruise altitude of 26;000 to 24;000 just prior to OILLL. As we were approaching and approximately 10 miles from OILLL; the aircraft was still descending through 24;500'. At that time ATC issued a descend via the DRLLR 5; maintain 300 until MPORT; resume normal published speeds at MPORT. First Officer set the bottom altitude for the descend via of 6000' before the airplane leveled off. We both verified '6000 set' and by the time that we both referenced the chart; we realized that we had descended below 24;000 prior to OILLL. Selected altitude hold to stop descent at approximately 23;600' and climbed back up to 24;000'. In discussing that error and dealing with other duties such as conversing with Flight Attendant about cabin temperature and getting new ATIS; we got behind the descent and missed the altitude window at MPORT by approximately 1000' (high). Shortly after; ATC amended our clearance and said to just descend to cross PTROL at 11;000' and expect to continue descend via after that. I do not know if this was a result of us being high; or if ATC changed the clearance for VFR traffic which was later pointed out to us. After crossing PTROL at 11;000 and making visual contact with the VFR traffic at 11;500; we were approaching DOMNO and queried ATC as to whether he wanted us to continue the descend via. He said yes and we informed him that we may be a little high at DOMNO which he said was ok and just to descend to 6000'. Remainder of approach was uneventful. Descend via given at a really bad time. Lower than normal cruise altitude for bad rides; distractions with aircraft cabin cooling; setting bottom altitude on descend via [clearances]. I still think that it is a bad idea to set bottom hard altitude on descend via. If we had set each altitude; first error would not have occurred and likely second error would not have occurred either. I may start instituting an 'early sterile' on descend via [clearances] to try to avoid distractions on especially challenging RNAV arrivals.




Synopsis: EMB Regional jet Captain reported distractions led to multiple deviations on a 'descend via' clearance on the DRLLR5 RNAV arrival into IAH.