Altitude crossing restr not met due to FMC programming confusion.

Attributes
ACN	303544
Time
Date	199505
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lrp
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny artcc : zhn
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 23000 flight time type : 90
ASRS Report	303544
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 other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Asked to cross 30 west crp at 17000 ft. Bourn intersection was already set in 10 west lrp at 1000 ft. FMC would not take 30 west at 17000 ft. Clearance was given at required top of descent for 17000 ft restr. Too much time utilized trying to get computer to accept 30 west at 17000 ft. Asked center if there was a problem and they asked us to report leaving FL210. No further action required. In retrospect, for close-in crossing restr forget trying to reset FMC. Reporter/user is in his first month of flying new aircraft. Lesson learned: if you have time -- use FMC. If not, manual aircraft control, or use mode control panel to achieve desired results.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT XING RESTR NOT MET DUE TO FMC PROGRAMMING CONFUSION.

Narrative: ASKED TO CROSS 30 W CRP AT 17000 FT. BOURN INTXN WAS ALREADY SET IN 10 W LRP AT 1000 FT. FMC WOULD NOT TAKE 30 W AT 17000 FT. CLRNC WAS GIVEN AT REQUIRED TOP OF DSCNT FOR 17000 FT RESTR. TOO MUCH TIME UTILIZED TRYING TO GET COMPUTER TO ACCEPT 30 W AT 17000 FT. ASKED CTR IF THERE WAS A PROB AND THEY ASKED US TO RPT LEAVING FL210. NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED. IN RETROSPECT, FOR CLOSE-IN XING RESTR FORGET TRYING TO RESET FMC. RPTR/USER IS IN HIS FIRST MONTH OF FLYING NEW ACFT. LESSON LEARNED: IF YOU HAVE TIME -- USE FMC. IF NOT, MANUAL ACFT CTL, OR USE MODE CTL PANEL TO ACHIEVE DESIRED RESULTS.

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.