Altitude deviation altitude undershot in missed altitude crossing restriction.

Attributes
ACN	261544
Time
Date	199401
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 9450
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : lax
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	261544
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed san-lax flight normal. Given SID to VOR. Cruise altitude was 10000 ft MSL. At cruise altitude we were given direct VOR. Still 50 NM southwest of VOR first flight attendant advised she had a burned out light at her station. Being the captain's leg and PF, I took the PNF role and proceeded to do the cabin right up. Approach gave us a clearance to 7000 ft MSL 10 southwest VOR. Approximately 25 mi from VOR. I was busy doing the logbooks and when I finished I noticed we were 20 mi from VOR and doing 300 KTS. At 10000 ft. I asked the captain who was busy trying to put the point 10 southwest of VOR in our FMC, if he realized we were 10 northwest from our 7000 ft MSL clearance. He stated 'yeah, I'm trying to put the point in.' after an unsuccessful attempt I told him he better start down to meet our crossing point. At this point he realized he was getting close and started descent. At 9950 ft I asked him if he knew we were still going 300 KTS, he replied that he 'forgot!' PF put out speed brakes and slowed to 250 KTS by 9400 ft MSL and we missed our crossing altitude by 2 NM. I asked and did get relief from approach control on the crossing saying 'it may be tight.' approach reclred us to cross VOR at 7000 ft instead. Rest of flight was uneventful. Captain had previous experience in 'glass cockpit' on B-757 but had difficulty on the B-737-300 I believe he was letting the computer do the thinking instead of himself flying the airplane. It was also a long duty day 7:45 minutes flying time scheduled. 13 hours duty day. We were both tired. I have always heard of not doing non-essential paper work below 18000 ft MSL and from this reporter - I now know why. I was distracted filling out log which could have waited until on ground. It took away my attention from our crossing fix. Never again. This all could have been avoided if I was not doing the log. If PF was aware of our position and speed and PF was not trying to put waypoint into FMS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT UNDERSHOT IN MISSED ALT XING RESTRICTION.

Narrative: DEPARTED SAN-LAX FLT NORMAL. GIVEN SID TO VOR. CRUISE ALT WAS 10000 FT MSL. AT CRUISE ALT WE WERE GIVEN DIRECT VOR. STILL 50 NM SW OF VOR FIRST FLT ATTENDANT ADVISED SHE HAD A BURNED OUT LIGHT AT HER STATION. BEING THE CAPT'S LEG AND PF, I TOOK THE PNF ROLE AND PROCEEDED TO DO THE CABIN RIGHT UP. APCH GAVE US A CLRNC TO 7000 FT MSL 10 SW VOR. APPROX 25 MI FROM VOR. I WAS BUSY DOING THE LOGBOOKS AND WHEN I FINISHED I NOTICED WE WERE 20 MI FROM VOR AND DOING 300 KTS. AT 10000 FT. I ASKED THE CAPT WHO WAS BUSY TRYING TO PUT THE POINT 10 SW OF VOR IN OUR FMC, IF HE REALIZED WE WERE 10 NW FROM OUR 7000 FT MSL CLRNC. HE STATED 'YEAH, I'M TRYING TO PUT THE POINT IN.' AFTER AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT I TOLD HIM HE BETTER START DOWN TO MEET OUR XING POINT. AT THIS POINT HE REALIZED HE WAS GETTING CLOSE AND STARTED DSCNT. AT 9950 FT I ASKED HIM IF HE KNEW WE WERE STILL GOING 300 KTS, HE REPLIED THAT HE 'FORGOT!' PF PUT OUT SPD BRAKES AND SLOWED TO 250 KTS BY 9400 FT MSL AND WE MISSED OUR XING ALT BY 2 NM. I ASKED AND DID GET RELIEF FROM APCH CTL ON THE XING SAYING 'IT MAY BE TIGHT.' APCH RECLRED US TO CROSS VOR AT 7000 FT INSTEAD. REST OF FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. CAPT HAD PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN 'GLASS COCKPIT' ON B-757 BUT HAD DIFFICULTY ON THE B-737-300 I BELIEVE HE WAS LETTING THE COMPUTER DO THE THINKING INSTEAD OF HIMSELF FLYING THE AIRPLANE. IT WAS ALSO A LONG DUTY DAY 7:45 MINUTES FLYING TIME SCHEDULED. 13 HRS DUTY DAY. WE WERE BOTH TIRED. I HAVE ALWAYS HEARD OF NOT DOING NON-ESSENTIAL PAPER WORK BELOW 18000 FT MSL AND FROM THIS RPTR - I NOW KNOW WHY. I WAS DISTRACTED FILLING OUT LOG WHICH COULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL ON GND. IT TOOK AWAY MY ATTN FROM OUR XING FIX. NEVER AGAIN. THIS ALL COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I WAS NOT DOING THE LOG. IF PF WAS AWARE OF OUR POS AND SPD AND PF WAS NOT TRYING TO PUT WAYPOINT INTO FMS.

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.