Air carrier widebody transport altitude deviation undershot. Altitude crossing restriction not met.

Attributes
ACN	194419
Time
Date	199111
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ign airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	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 : 109 flight time total : 16601 flight time type : 221
ASRS Report	194419
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 non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were requested to descend to cross 35 NM northwest of ign at FL290. We had initially programmed into the FMC a normal descent. We reprogrammed the FMC and, with the tail wind component, the aircraft was unable to meet the descent criteria specified. We were a little late in realizing this due, I am sure, to fatigue (7300 mi csa-jfk). ATC requested that we increase our rate of descent. I thanked them for the timely reminder. Shortly thereafter I advised them that it would be very difficult to comply with the restriction. As it turned out, we were unable to comply. There were many vectors and clrncs around that time as well. What caused the problem? Fatigue was, I am sure, a part of it. I had with me an extremely sharp copilot, yet we still were slow to advise ATC. The sleep in the crew bunk helps, but it is somehow not quite the same as home or hotel sleep. Fortunately, no conflict was caused to the best of my knowledge, nor any ATC problem. While we started down immediately, we may have been a little slow completing the FMC programming, and initially it would not accept the inputed altitude restr, although we, and the other pilot on the jump seat agreed that we were inputting correctly. We were cleared to a lower altitude immediately after the fix.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB ALTDEV UNDERSHOT. ALT XING RESTRICTION NOT MET.

Narrative: WE WERE REQUESTED TO DSND TO CROSS 35 NM NW OF IGN AT FL290. WE HAD INITIALLY PROGRAMMED INTO THE FMC A NORMAL DSCNT. WE REPROGRAMMED THE FMC AND, WITH THE TAIL WIND COMPONENT, THE ACFT WAS UNABLE TO MEET THE DSCNT CRITERIA SPECIFIED. WE WERE A LITTLE LATE IN REALIZING THIS DUE, I AM SURE, TO FATIGUE (7300 MI CSA-JFK). ATC REQUESTED THAT WE INCREASE OUR RATE OF DSCNT. I THANKED THEM FOR THE TIMELY REMINDER. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I ADVISED THEM THAT IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO COMPLY WITH THE RESTRICTION. AS IT TURNED OUT, WE WERE UNABLE TO COMPLY. THERE WERE MANY VECTORS AND CLRNCS AROUND THAT TIME AS WELL. WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM? FATIGUE WAS, I AM SURE, A PART OF IT. I HAD WITH ME AN EXTREMELY SHARP COPLT, YET WE STILL WERE SLOW TO ADVISE ATC. THE SLEEP IN THE CREW BUNK HELPS, BUT IT IS SOMEHOW NOT QUITE THE SAME AS HOME OR HOTEL SLEEP. FORTUNATELY, NO CONFLICT WAS CAUSED TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, NOR ANY ATC PROBLEM. WHILE WE STARTED DOWN IMMEDIATELY, WE MAY HAVE BEEN A LITTLE SLOW COMPLETING THE FMC PROGRAMMING, AND INITIALLY IT WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE INPUTED ALT RESTR, ALTHOUGH WE, AND THE OTHER PLT ON THE JUMP SEAT AGREED THAT WE WERE INPUTTING CORRECTLY. WE WERE CLRED TO A LOWER ALT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FIX.

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.