An MD88 was unable to comply with a 9;000 MSL crossing restriction at ott on the ravnn RNAV STAR to ...

Attributes
ACN	1058443
Time
Date	201212
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	PCT.TRACON
State Reference	VA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Descent
Route In Use	STAR RAVNN 3
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	FMS/FMC
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Flight Engineer Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200 Flight Crew Total 15000 Flight Crew Type 2800
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Procedural Clearance
Miss Distance	Vertical 500

Narrative:

The first officer was the pilot flying the ravnn RNAV STAR into bwi. The STAR requires the aircraft to cross ott at 9;000 MSL. The first officer was using VNAV to fly the aircraft. However; we had over 100 KTS of tailwind and VNAV was having difficulty calculating the descent rate needed to meet the crossing restriction. I was performing the descent and arrival procedures and was momentarily distracted from monitoring the aircraft's progress. When I did notice our higher than normal groundspeed I directed the first officer to increase his descent rate in order to comply with the restriction. He elected to use vertical speed at first but I soon directed him to disconnect all aircraft automation and hand fly the aircraft to try to meet the restriction. He increased the descent rate in an attempt to comply but was unsuccessful. The aircraft crossed ott at approximately 9;600 MSL. There were no aircraft or terrain conflicts. ATC did not comment and we continued to bwi and landed uneventfully. If the first officer had increased the rate of descent we would have made the restriction. If I had asked for relief on the restriction we would not have had to submit this report.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An MD88 was unable to comply with a 9;000 MSL crossing restriction at OTT on the RAVNN RNAV STAR to BWI. 100 KTS tailwinds and a tardy recognition of the need to abandon autoflight in order to comply contributed to the deviation.

Narrative: The First Officer was the pilot flying the RAVNN RNAV STAR into BWI. The STAR requires the aircraft to cross OTT at 9;000 MSL. The First Officer was using VNAV to fly the aircraft. However; we had over 100 KTS of tailwind and VNAV was having difficulty calculating the descent rate needed to meet the crossing restriction. I was performing the descent and arrival procedures and was momentarily distracted from monitoring the aircraft's progress. When I did notice our higher than normal groundspeed I directed the First Officer to increase his descent rate in order to comply with the restriction. He elected to use vertical speed at first but I soon directed him to disconnect all aircraft automation and hand fly the aircraft to try to meet the restriction. He increased the descent rate in an attempt to comply but was unsuccessful. The aircraft crossed OTT at approximately 9;600 MSL. There were no aircraft or terrain conflicts. ATC did not comment and we continued to BWI and landed uneventfully. If the First Officer had increased the rate of descent we would have made the restriction. If I had asked for relief on the restriction we would not have had to submit this report.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

An MD88 was unable to comply with a 9;000 MSL crossing restriction at ott on the ravnn RNAV STAR to bwi. 100 KTS tailwinds and a tardy recognition of the need to abandon autoflight in order to comply contributed to the deviation.