Narrative:

Inbound to the dfw airport we were cleared initially on the boids arrival and then cleared to hold as published at sps. Before reaching sps we were given a heading of 180 degrees and clearance direct to ryann intersection. The B727 we were flying in ONS equipped but waypoints must be entered manually as latitude and longitude, and ryann intersection had not been entered as it was not on the filed (or cleared) route. While the captain (PF) was trying to enter ryann intersection we were cleared to hold at ryann and descend from FL330 to FL310. As we were descending, the captain realized we were crossing the radial of ryann intersection and started a left turn into holding. The copilot and I then realized that he had not tuned in bpr but was still working off of sps so we were north of the fix. As we were trying to convince the captain of our real position and which way to turn to get to ryann we noticed the altitude decreasing through FL305. The captain started a correction and about that time ATC issued a further descent (we were at FL303 at the lowest prior to correcting and getting a new clearance -- the altitude alerter had not been reset in the confusion). At that time we were then nearing the bpr radial to ryann but were 10-15 NM east (inside) the fix. The captain was intent on making a standard entry into holding so turned left, the long way around, back to enter holding rather than turning right the short way to first proceed to ryann intersection and then enter holding. Contributing factors were a high indicated speed to achieve traffic spacing coupled with a 100 KT west wind (tailwind) increasing our ground speed and decreasing the reaction time to the clearance changes. The ONS was also a factor as ATC may assume since we are an 'right' equipped airplane we have the same capabilities to immediately call up fixes that more sophisticated system can accomplish. Supplemental information from acn 335437: about 2 mins before ryann intersection told to hold as published and descend to FL310. Aircraft descended to FL305 and we started back to FL310 when center cleared to FL290 then FL280. By this time we were abeam ryann intersection but not on the 287 degree brp. We turned right to intercept the radial. About 15 mi late we turned back into the holding.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 FLC DSNDED 600 FT BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALT AND DEVIATED FROM THEIR HOLDING CLRNC. THEY HAD JUST BEEN CLRED DIRECT TO A FIX AND THEN THEY WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO DSND AND HOLD LESS THAN 2 MINS FROM THAT SAME INTXN. THE FLC FAILED TO SELECT THE NEW AUTOPLT.

Narrative: INBOUND TO THE DFW ARPT WE WERE CLRED INITIALLY ON THE BOIDS ARR AND THEN CLRED TO HOLD AS PUBLISHED AT SPS. BEFORE REACHING SPS WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 180 DEGS AND CLRNC DIRECT TO RYANN INTXN. THE B727 WE WERE FLYING IN ONS EQUIPPED BUT WAYPOINTS MUST BE ENTERED MANUALLY AS LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE, AND RYANN INTXN HAD NOT BEEN ENTERED AS IT WAS NOT ON THE FILED (OR CLRED) RTE. WHILE THE CAPT (PF) WAS TRYING TO ENTER RYANN INTXN WE WERE CLRED TO HOLD AT RYANN AND DSND FROM FL330 TO FL310. AS WE WERE DSNDING, THE CAPT REALIZED WE WERE XING THE RADIAL OF RYANN INTXN AND STARTED A L TURN INTO HOLDING. THE COPLT AND I THEN REALIZED THAT HE HAD NOT TUNED IN BPR BUT WAS STILL WORKING OFF OF SPS SO WE WERE N OF THE FIX. AS WE WERE TRYING TO CONVINCE THE CAPT OF OUR REAL POS AND WHICH WAY TO TURN TO GET TO RYANN WE NOTICED THE ALT DECREASING THROUGH FL305. THE CAPT STARTED A CORRECTION AND ABOUT THAT TIME ATC ISSUED A FURTHER DSCNT (WE WERE AT FL303 AT THE LOWEST PRIOR TO CORRECTING AND GETTING A NEW CLRNC -- THE ALT ALERTER HAD NOT BEEN RESET IN THE CONFUSION). AT THAT TIME WE WERE THEN NEARING THE BPR RADIAL TO RYANN BUT WERE 10-15 NM E (INSIDE) THE FIX. THE CAPT WAS INTENT ON MAKING A STANDARD ENTRY INTO HOLDING SO TURNED L, THE LONG WAY AROUND, BACK TO ENTER HOLDING RATHER THAN TURNING R THE SHORT WAY TO FIRST PROCEED TO RYANN INTXN AND THEN ENTER HOLDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE A HIGH INDICATED SPD TO ACHIEVE TFC SPACING COUPLED WITH A 100 KT W WIND (TAILWIND) INCREASING OUR GND SPD AND DECREASING THE REACTION TIME TO THE CLRNC CHANGES. THE ONS WAS ALSO A FACTOR AS ATC MAY ASSUME SINCE WE ARE AN 'R' EQUIPPED AIRPLANE WE HAVE THE SAME CAPABILITIES TO IMMEDIATELY CALL UP FIXES THAT MORE SOPHISTICATED SYS CAN ACCOMPLISH. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 335437: ABOUT 2 MINS BEFORE RYANN INTXN TOLD TO HOLD AS PUBLISHED AND DSND TO FL310. ACFT DSNDED TO FL305 AND WE STARTED BACK TO FL310 WHEN CTR CLRED TO FL290 THEN FL280. BY THIS TIME WE WERE ABEAM RYANN INTXN BUT NOT ON THE 287 DEG BRP. WE TURNED R TO INTERCEPT THE RADIAL. ABOUT 15 MI LATE WE TURNED BACK INTO THE HOLDING.

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.