Altitude deviation crossing restr missed.

Attributes
ACN	306764
Time
Date	199505
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lvz
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
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
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	306764
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	306020
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared direct to lvz, then given the clearance to cross 50 mi out at FL180. We were cruising at FL240. The FMC was programmed for the crossing restr but would not accept it. The descent was initiated manually. I mistakenly thought the FMC had captured the descent path. We missed the crossing restr by 5 mi. The cause was not realizing the mode the autoflt equipment was in due to misinterpreting the mode annunciators.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV XING RESTR MISSED.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO LVZ, THEN GIVEN THE CLRNC TO CROSS 50 MI OUT AT FL180. WE WERE CRUISING AT FL240. THE FMC WAS PROGRAMMED FOR THE XING RESTR BUT WOULD NOT ACCEPT IT. THE DSCNT WAS INITIATED MANUALLY. I MISTAKENLY THOUGHT THE FMC HAD CAPTURED THE DSCNT PATH. WE MISSED THE XING RESTR BY 5 MI. THE CAUSE WAS NOT REALIZING THE MODE THE AUTOFLT EQUIP WAS IN DUE TO MISINTERPRETING THE MODE ANNUNCIATORS.

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.