Reporter fails to achieve altitude restr.

Attributes
ACN	292123
Time
Date	199412
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9400 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 15500 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	292123
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
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:

Departing loop 9 departure from lax, requiring course reversal to cross lax VOR above 10000 ft. I have made this departure several hundred times in various aircraft and always used best angle of climb. This time in B757 the performance seemed to be lagging and it was apparent we would not make the climb restr at lax. We crossed about 9400 ft. I was dismayed and concerned that we might have some engine problem. While analyzing, we found the flaps were at 1 degree instead of 5 degrees, thus the lack of performance as I was flying the flap 5 degree minimum maneuver speed and was on the 'back side' compared to flap 1 degree minimum velocity. Contributing factor. I was flying with a head cold and taking over-the-counter remedies. The only reason I took the trip was because it was the holiday season and I feared trouble with the company over a holiday sick call. I had been warned before, it is air carrier X's opinion that all sick calls are fraudulent. Had I been well, I would have traced the lack of performance and corrected it much sooner. I certainly would have been more aggressive toward complying with the clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR FAILS TO ACHIEVE ALT RESTR.

Narrative: DEPARTING LOOP 9 DEP FROM LAX, REQUIRING COURSE REVERSAL TO CROSS LAX VOR ABOVE 10000 FT. I HAVE MADE THIS DEP SEVERAL HUNDRED TIMES IN VARIOUS ACFT AND ALWAYS USED BEST ANGLE OF CLB. THIS TIME IN B757 THE PERFORMANCE SEEMED TO BE LAGGING AND IT WAS APPARENT WE WOULD NOT MAKE THE CLB RESTR AT LAX. WE CROSSED ABOUT 9400 FT. I WAS DISMAYED AND CONCERNED THAT WE MIGHT HAVE SOME ENG PROB. WHILE ANALYZING, WE FOUND THE FLAPS WERE AT 1 DEG INSTEAD OF 5 DEGS, THUS THE LACK OF PERFORMANCE AS I WAS FLYING THE FLAP 5 DEG MINIMUM MANEUVER SPD AND WAS ON THE 'BACK SIDE' COMPARED TO FLAP 1 DEG MINIMUM VELOCITY. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. I WAS FLYING WITH A HEAD COLD AND TAKING OVER-THE-COUNTER REMEDIES. THE ONLY REASON I TOOK THE TRIP WAS BECAUSE IT WAS THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND I FEARED TROUBLE WITH THE COMPANY OVER A HOLIDAY SICK CALL. I HAD BEEN WARNED BEFORE, IT IS ACR X'S OPINION THAT ALL SICK CALLS ARE FRAUDULENT. HAD I BEEN WELL, I WOULD HAVE TRACED THE LACK OF PERFORMANCE AND CORRECTED IT MUCH SOONER. I CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AGGRESSIVE TOWARD COMPLYING WITH THE CLRNC.

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.