Air carrier medium large transport crew forgot to descend.

Attributes
ACN	298210
Time
Date	199503
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dag
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
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
Route In Use	arrival other 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 : 240 flight time total : 8700 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	298210
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2700 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	298394
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared to cross jokur intersection on creso arrival at FL240. We were at FL290 and forgot to descend. No conflict. Callback conversation with reporter from acn 298394 revealed the following information: the reporting first officer is fresh caught out of the USAF. This was his third month with air carrier. He is flying the B-737-200, -300, and -500. This is his first experience with the FMC. The first officer admits that he focused on programming the FMC and did not start the descent until almost on top of the fix. ARTCC reminded the crew of the restr just after the crew had started down. The reporter believes that more time in the aircraft, more time with the air carrier, and closer supervision by the captain would have prevented this. The captain was busy with ATIS and company traffic when this happened. ARTCC was not upset.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG CREW FORGOT TO DSND.

Narrative: CLRED TO CROSS JOKUR INTXN ON CRESO ARR AT FL240. WE WERE AT FL290 AND FORGOT TO DSND. NO CONFLICT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR FROM ACN 298394 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTING FO IS FRESH CAUGHT OUT OF THE USAF. THIS WAS HIS THIRD MONTH WITH ACR. HE IS FLYING THE B-737-200, -300, AND -500. THIS IS HIS FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH THE FMC. THE FO ADMITS THAT HE FOCUSED ON PROGRAMMING THE FMC AND DID NOT START THE DSCNT UNTIL ALMOST ON TOP OF THE FIX. ARTCC REMINDED THE CREW OF THE RESTR JUST AFTER THE CREW HAD STARTED DOWN. THE RPTR BELIEVES THAT MORE TIME IN THE ACFT, MORE TIME WITH THE ACR, AND CLOSER SUPERVISION BY THE CAPT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS. THE CAPT WAS BUSY WITH ATIS AND COMPANY TFC WHEN THIS HAPPENED. ARTCC WAS NOT UPSET.

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.