Altitude deviation. Altitude undershot. Crossing restriction not met.

Attributes
ACN	147989
Time
Date	199006
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vhp
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 17500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 6500
ASRS Report	147929
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were descending into ind, center gave us a crossing (vhp VOR) restriction of 80 mi west at 16000' (not sure of the exact distance/altitude at this time). Aircraft was FMS equipped. PF programmed the restriction into the system. Autoplt and autothrottles responded and FMS showed capture for the restriction. A minute or 2 later, VOR was tuned to vhp VOR and DME indicated us passing the distance restriction approximately 1500-2000' high. A rechk of the FMS showed the restriction had been placed in the legs page in the wrong position. The FMS system was flying to an intersection closer to the VOR, then indicating a 180 degree turn to track back to the crossing restriction. We were descending rapidly and reached the restriction altitude about 5 mi late. The controller didn't mention a problem, but just as we discovered our error, we were handed off to another sector who simply cleared us to a lower altitude with no mention of the restriction. Flight continued normally.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION. ALT UNDERSHOT. CROSSING RESTRICTION NOT MET.

Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING INTO IND, CENTER GAVE US A XING (VHP VOR) RESTRICTION OF 80 MI W AT 16000' (NOT SURE OF THE EXACT DISTANCE/ALT AT THIS TIME). ACFT WAS FMS EQUIPPED. PF PROGRAMMED THE RESTRICTION INTO THE SYS. AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES RESPONDED AND FMS SHOWED CAPTURE FOR THE RESTRICTION. A MINUTE OR 2 LATER, VOR WAS TUNED TO VHP VOR AND DME INDICATED US PASSING THE DISTANCE RESTRICTION APPROX 1500-2000' HIGH. A RECHK OF THE FMS SHOWED THE RESTRICTION HAD BEEN PLACED IN THE LEGS PAGE IN THE WRONG POS. THE FMS SYS WAS FLYING TO AN INTXN CLOSER TO THE VOR, THEN INDICATING A 180 DEG TURN TO TRACK BACK TO THE XING RESTRICTION. WE WERE DSNDING RAPIDLY AND REACHED THE RESTRICTION ALT ABOUT 5 MI LATE. THE CTLR DIDN'T MENTION A PROB, BUT JUST AS WE DISCOVERED OUR ERROR, WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER SECTOR WHO SIMPLY CLRED US TO A LOWER ALT WITH NO MENTION OF THE RESTRICTION. FLT CONTINUED NORMALLY.

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.