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Captain of an large transport air carrier aircraft undershot descent altitude due to the workload in the first officer's absence.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 253799 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199310 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ftz |
| State Reference | MO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 15000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : zkc |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 253799 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
ZKC gave us clearance to intercept butler VOR (bum) 071 degree radial and trake 7 arrival for stl. We were given clearance to cross kayla intersection at 11000 ft (kayla is 11 DME on 265 degree radial of ftz (foristell). About 23000 ft first officer said he had to go to restroom and left the cockpit. Radios became busy and I was somewhat distracted by flying STAR and answering radios. At FL180 we accomplished descent check. First officer returned and had some problem getting his headset on and adjusted. I was still on radios. As a result, I did not make the 11000 ft restr at kayla. No comment from center or approach control. We were cleared to descend to 7000 ft by stl approach control. I estimate crossing kayla between 14000 ft and 15000 ft. I mentioned to the crew that in the future we should attempt to schedule our restroom visits prior to descent.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF AN LGT ACR ACFT UNDERSHOT DSCNT ALT DUE TO THE WORKLOAD IN THE FO'S ABSENCE.
Narrative: ZKC GAVE US CLRNC TO INTERCEPT BUTLER VOR (BUM) 071 DEG RADIAL AND TRAKE 7 ARR FOR STL. WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS KAYLA INTXN AT 11000 FT (KAYLA IS 11 DME ON 265 DEG RADIAL OF FTZ (FORISTELL). ABOUT 23000 FT FO SAID HE HAD TO GO TO RESTROOM AND LEFT THE COCKPIT. RADIOS BECAME BUSY AND I WAS SOMEWHAT DISTRACTED BY FLYING STAR AND ANSWERING RADIOS. AT FL180 WE ACCOMPLISHED DSCNT CHK. FO RETURNED AND HAD SOME PROB GETTING HIS HEADSET ON AND ADJUSTED. I WAS STILL ON RADIOS. AS A RESULT, I DID NOT MAKE THE 11000 FT RESTR AT KAYLA. NO COMMENT FROM CTR OR APCH CTL. WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 7000 FT BY STL APCH CTL. I ESTIMATE XING KAYLA BTWN 14000 FT AND 15000 FT. I MENTIONED TO THE CREW THAT IN THE FUTURE WE SHOULD ATTEMPT TO SCHEDULE OUR RESTROOM VISITS PRIOR TO DSCNT.
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.