Narrative:

ZLA cleared our flight to 'descend so as to cross a point 10 NM northwest of fillmore VOR at 11000 ft.' this clearance was understood by each of us (copilot flying from left seat and type rated with 5000 plus hours and over 250 hours in type and over last 14 months, and captain (reporter) performing duties of copilot with understanding by both that I am PIC of flight.) PF elected not to use VNAV set-up to make crossing restr, but instead relied upon mental calculations. I checked rate of descent against distance initially when 30 mi from pirue intersection. And, at that time, it appeared that at present rate we would meet -- barely -- the restr. I became busy preparing for the approach to smo which we would commence shortly, reviewing weights, the ' plate,' etc. I did not adequately review or monitor the PF. When I did again begin to monitor the PF I noticed at about 6 NM from the fix that we would not make the restr given the present descent rate. I asked the PF, 'could she make it.' she hesitated, never really answered, so I told her that I had it, 'whereupon I reduced power to idle, lowered the nose and attempted to meet the restr. Shortly ZLA turned us over to socal approach, but before switching I informed los angeles that we would not meet the restr. We crossed the 10 NM fix at above 13500 ft, some 2500 ft too high. We did finally reach 11000 ft some 4 or 5 mi past pirue intersection. In conclusion, I was at some fault for not more closely monitoring the progress of the flight as flown by the copilot, the PF. The PF has recently gotten her type rating in the astrajet as well as having just gotten her ATP. Her PIC experience is, however, extremely limited. She has not really had to do the planning and seems to rely to some extent upon the captain for more direction and assistance when it is her turn to 'take the left seat.' I think there is a sense that it isn't her responsibility if things 'go haywire.' of course she is, to some degree, correct, even if she is not thinking this overtly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST.

Narrative: ZLA CLRED OUR FLT TO 'DSND SO AS TO CROSS A POINT 10 NM NW OF FILLMORE VOR AT 11000 FT.' THIS CLRNC WAS UNDERSTOOD BY EACH OF US (COPLT FLYING FROM L SEAT AND TYPE RATED WITH 5000 PLUS HRS AND OVER 250 HRS IN TYPE AND OVER LAST 14 MONTHS, AND CAPT (RPTR) PERFORMING DUTIES OF COPLT WITH UNDERSTANDING BY BOTH THAT I AM PIC OF FLT.) PF ELECTED NOT TO USE VNAV SET-UP TO MAKE XING RESTR, BUT INSTEAD RELIED UPON MENTAL CALCULATIONS. I CHKED RATE OF DSCNT AGAINST DISTANCE INITIALLY WHEN 30 MI FROM PIRUE INTXN. AND, AT THAT TIME, IT APPEARED THAT AT PRESENT RATE WE WOULD MEET -- BARELY -- THE RESTR. I BECAME BUSY PREPARING FOR THE APCH TO SMO WHICH WE WOULD COMMENCE SHORTLY, REVIEWING WTS, THE ' PLATE,' ETC. I DID NOT ADEQUATELY REVIEW OR MONITOR THE PF. WHEN I DID AGAIN BEGIN TO MONITOR THE PF I NOTICED AT ABOUT 6 NM FROM THE FIX THAT WE WOULD NOT MAKE THE RESTR GIVEN THE PRESENT DSCNT RATE. I ASKED THE PF, 'COULD SHE MAKE IT.' SHE HESITATED, NEVER REALLY ANSWERED, SO I TOLD HER THAT I HAD IT, 'WHEREUPON I REDUCED PWR TO IDLE, LOWERED THE NOSE AND ATTEMPTED TO MEET THE RESTR. SHORTLY ZLA TURNED US OVER TO SOCAL APCH, BUT BEFORE SWITCHING I INFORMED LOS ANGELES THAT WE WOULD NOT MEET THE RESTR. WE CROSSED THE 10 NM FIX AT ABOVE 13500 FT, SOME 2500 FT TOO HIGH. WE DID FINALLY REACH 11000 FT SOME 4 OR 5 MI PAST PIRUE INTXN. IN CONCLUSION, I WAS AT SOME FAULT FOR NOT MORE CLOSELY MONITORING THE PROGRESS OF THE FLT AS FLOWN BY THE COPLT, THE PF. THE PF HAS RECENTLY GOTTEN HER TYPE RATING IN THE ASTRAJET AS WELL AS HAVING JUST GOTTEN HER ATP. HER PIC EXPERIENCE IS, HOWEVER, EXTREMELY LIMITED. SHE HAS NOT REALLY HAD TO DO THE PLANNING AND SEEMS TO RELY TO SOME EXTENT UPON THE CAPT FOR MORE DIRECTION AND ASSISTANCE WHEN IT IS HER TURN TO 'TAKE THE L SEAT.' I THINK THERE IS A SENSE THAT IT ISN'T HER RESPONSIBILITY IF THINGS 'GO HAYWIRE.' OF COURSE SHE IS, TO SOME DEG, CORRECT, EVEN IF SHE IS NOT THINKING THIS OVERTLY.

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.