Air carrier misses altitude on profile descent.

Attributes
ACN	171415
Time
Date	199102
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : yyz
State Reference	ON
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival : profile descent enroute airway : yyz
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 159 flight time total : 5680 flight time type : 2408
ASRS Report	171415
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Inbound to yyz we were cleared for profile descent. We were at initial entry altitude and missed the first step-down. PF failed to note the next altitude level at given DME fix because the notation on the commercial sheet was offset a considerable space from the course line. Cluttered profile descent sheet made reading fairly difficult. I was busy with other duties required by destination proximity and failed to monitor PF at this time. Solution to problem would be to reduce clutter on chart and rearrange layout on commercial chart.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MISSES ALT ON PROFILE DESCENT.

Narrative: INBND TO YYZ WE WERE CLRED FOR PROFILE DSNT. WE WERE AT INITIAL ENTRY ALT AND MISSED THE FIRST STEP-DOWN. PF FAILED TO NOTE THE NEXT ALT LEVEL AT GIVEN DME FIX BECAUSE THE NOTATION ON THE COMMERCIAL SHEET WAS OFFSET A CONSIDERABLE SPACE FROM THE COURSE LINE. CLUTTERED PROFILE DSNT SHEET MADE READING FAIRLY DIFFICULT. I WAS BUSY WITH OTHER DUTIES REQUIRED BY DEST PROX AND FAILED TO MONITOR PF AT THIS TIME. SOLUTION TO PROB WOULD BE TO REDUCE CLUTTER ON CHART AND REARRANGE LAYOUT ON COMMERCIAL CHART.

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.