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Air carrier medium large transport altitude undershot in descent, crossing restriction not met on nanci 2 STAR to lga.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 145958 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199005 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ott |
| State Reference | MD |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 29000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other arrival star : star |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 9400 flight time type : 2800 |
| ASRS Report | 145958 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were flying inbound to lga on the nanci 2 arrival. I was flying. About 10 mi from gordonsville VOR, I excused myself to the bathroom, told the copilot to fly the 064 degree right outbnd on the STAR. When I came back in, we had passed the station. He hadn't gotten on the radial. I quickly turned onto the radial and got on course. We then got a clearance from busy center, at least I heard it to sound like, 'expect 40 DME north nottingham VOR at FL260...' at 35-36 DME form nottingham my copilot asked me when I was to start down. I said I thought it was an 'expect' clearance. He said no. I told him to call center fast and find out. Yes, he wanted me 40 DME north at 260!1 I told the copilot to tell the center I couldn't make it. Center advised no problem, 'descend to FL220, try to make the restriction anyway.' I crossed 43 DME at FL260. I wish center controllers, approach controllers, etc would stop saying 'expect' this and that. You have so much to think about to begin with, what with trying to remember crossing restrictions, etc, assigned 10 mis prior and other clrncs that your poor brain becomes cluttered--especially in bad WX, multiple leg days, short and unrestful layovers. The system is getting worse, not better.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR MLG ALT UNDERSHOT IN DESCENT, CROSSING RESTRICTION NOT MET ON NANCI 2 STAR TO LGA.
Narrative: WE WERE FLYING INBND TO LGA ON THE NANCI 2 ARR. I WAS FLYING. ABOUT 10 MI FROM GORDONSVILLE VOR, I EXCUSED MYSELF TO THE BATHROOM, TOLD THE COPLT TO FLY THE 064 DEG R OUTBND ON THE STAR. WHEN I CAME BACK IN, WE HAD PASSED THE STATION. HE HADN'T GOTTEN ON THE RADIAL. I QUICKLY TURNED ONTO THE RADIAL AND GOT ON COURSE. WE THEN GOT A CLRNC FROM BUSY CENTER, AT LEAST I HEARD IT TO SOUND LIKE, 'EXPECT 40 DME N NOTTINGHAM VOR AT FL260...' AT 35-36 DME FORM NOTTINGHAM MY COPLT ASKED ME WHEN I WAS TO START DOWN. I SAID I THOUGHT IT WAS AN 'EXPECT' CLRNC. HE SAID NO. I TOLD HIM TO CALL CENTER FAST AND FIND OUT. YES, HE WANTED ME 40 DME N AT 260!1 I TOLD THE COPLT TO TELL THE CENTER I COULDN'T MAKE IT. CENTER ADVISED NO PROB, 'DSND TO FL220, TRY TO MAKE THE RESTRICTION ANYWAY.' I CROSSED 43 DME AT FL260. I WISH CENTER CTLRS, APCH CTLRS, ETC WOULD STOP SAYING 'EXPECT' THIS AND THAT. YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO THINK ABOUT TO BEGIN WITH, WHAT WITH TRYING TO REMEMBER XING RESTRICTIONS, ETC, ASSIGNED 10 MIS PRIOR AND OTHER CLRNCS THAT YOUR POOR BRAIN BECOMES CLUTTERED--ESPECIALLY IN BAD WX, MULTIPLE LEG DAYS, SHORT AND UNRESTFUL LAYOVERS. THE SYS IS GETTING WORSE, NOT BETTER.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.