Altitude crossing restr not met by A320 flight crew.

Attributes
ACN	306521
Time
Date	199505
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : esl
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	306521
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Received clearance to cross 25 DME west of esl VOR at FL290, level at FL330. This A320 aircraft software is unable to accommodate such a clearance, so I suggested to captain student in left seat to program the computer to cross (on bucko 4 arrival -- flight was kdtw - kdca) 'bucko' at FL290, 39 DME west of esl (ie 14 DME early) since we were so busy preparing for the mount vernon visual approach to kdca runway 36, and he'd never been there before in any capacity as a pilot. We were subsequently cleared direct to esl (position still west of bucko) and therefore deleted (inadvertently) our programming for descent to FL290. As we were handed off to ZDC (I think from cleveland) with 5 mi to go, I realized we hadn't started down from FL330, and wouldn't make the restr. When contacting ZDC, I told him we would not make the restr and confirmed the clearance (he showed us 'at 25 west of esl. We were 30 west when I first checked on') I suggested a 360 degree turn but he never acknowledged. If ATC would use a named intersection or waypoint for these clrncs, this would be far less of a problem. Instead of 'cross 25 west of esl at FL290,' 'cross abcde at FL290' and all airbus aircraft could be programmed to do just that. In any event, this event was 'MEA culpa' -- and I will start down immediately with a student in the future!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT XING RESTR NOT MET BY A320 FLC.

Narrative: RECEIVED CLRNC TO CROSS 25 DME W OF ESL VOR AT FL290, LEVEL AT FL330. THIS A320 ACFT SOFTWARE IS UNABLE TO ACCOMMODATE SUCH A CLRNC, SO I SUGGESTED TO CAPT STUDENT IN L SEAT TO PROGRAM THE COMPUTER TO CROSS (ON BUCKO 4 ARR -- FLT WAS KDTW - KDCA) 'BUCKO' AT FL290, 39 DME W OF ESL (IE 14 DME EARLY) SINCE WE WERE SO BUSY PREPARING FOR THE MOUNT VERNON VISUAL APCH TO KDCA RWY 36, AND HE'D NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE IN ANY CAPACITY AS A PLT. WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED DIRECT TO ESL (POS STILL W OF BUCKO) AND THEREFORE DELETED (INADVERTENTLY) OUR PROGRAMMING FOR DSCNT TO FL290. AS WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ZDC (I THINK FROM CLEVELAND) WITH 5 MI TO GO, I REALIZED WE HADN'T STARTED DOWN FROM FL330, AND WOULDN'T MAKE THE RESTR. WHEN CONTACTING ZDC, I TOLD HIM WE WOULD NOT MAKE THE RESTR AND CONFIRMED THE CLRNC (HE SHOWED US 'AT 25 W OF ESL. WE WERE 30 W WHEN I FIRST CHKED ON') I SUGGESTED A 360 DEG TURN BUT HE NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED. IF ATC WOULD USE A NAMED INTXN OR WAYPOINT FOR THESE CLRNCS, THIS WOULD BE FAR LESS OF A PROB. INSTEAD OF 'CROSS 25 W OF ESL AT FL290,' 'CROSS ABCDE AT FL290' AND ALL AIRBUS ACFT COULD BE PROGRAMMED TO DO JUST THAT. IN ANY EVENT, THIS EVENT WAS 'MEA CULPA' -- AND I WILL START DOWN IMMEDIATELY WITH A STUDENT IN THE FUTURE!

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.