Flight crew flies as much as 800 ft low during an arrival into lax.

Attributes
ACN	342904
Time
Date	199608
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2100 msl bound upper : 41000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	342904
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On approach to lax we were slowed to 250 KIAS or less from FL410 to 2100 ft. We had numerous changes in arrs on the approach. The last 4 airspeed changes exceeded the autoflt system capability. Changes from 210 KTS to 190 KTS, to 210 KTS to 170 KTS had to be hand flown and altitude restrs built into FMC negated. After landing socal approach was called and they said we were 800 ft low on one of the STAR restrs. We had no altitude warnings on our approach. It may be that the first officer set the altitude alert to initial approach prior to the last restr. However, due to the increase back to 210 KTS within 4 mi of the marker it would have been impossible to land without getting below the GS outside the OM. As it was, we came very close to a mandatory go around due to too high a speed and descending too close to the marker. There was a B737 on approach to another parallel runway which we called visual to the approach control. It appears the excessive increase in speed from 190 KTS to 210 KTS was issued opposite what was needed as the 210 KTS was changed to 170 KTS as the B737 was rapidly overtaken at 3-4 mi at 1-2 O'clock. These speed changes required full speed brakes, flap and gear to comply with while descending. Better (more timely) speed changes were needed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC FLIES AS MUCH AS 800 FT LOW DURING AN ARR INTO LAX.

Narrative: ON APCH TO LAX WE WERE SLOWED TO 250 KIAS OR LESS FROM FL410 TO 2100 FT. WE HAD NUMEROUS CHANGES IN ARRS ON THE APCH. THE LAST 4 AIRSPD CHANGES EXCEEDED THE AUTOFLT SYS CAPABILITY. CHANGES FROM 210 KTS TO 190 KTS, TO 210 KTS TO 170 KTS HAD TO BE HAND FLOWN AND ALT RESTRS BUILT INTO FMC NEGATED. AFTER LNDG SOCAL APCH WAS CALLED AND THEY SAID WE WERE 800 FT LOW ON ONE OF THE STAR RESTRS. WE HAD NO ALT WARNINGS ON OUR APCH. IT MAY BE THAT THE FO SET THE ALT ALERT TO INITIAL APCH PRIOR TO THE LAST RESTR. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE INCREASE BACK TO 210 KTS WITHIN 4 MI OF THE MARKER IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE TO LAND WITHOUT GETTING BELOW THE GS OUTSIDE THE OM. AS IT WAS, WE CAME VERY CLOSE TO A MANDATORY GAR DUE TO TOO HIGH A SPD AND DSNDING TOO CLOSE TO THE MARKER. THERE WAS A B737 ON APCH TO ANOTHER PARALLEL RWY WHICH WE CALLED VISUAL TO THE APCH CTL. IT APPEARS THE EXCESSIVE INCREASE IN SPD FROM 190 KTS TO 210 KTS WAS ISSUED OPPOSITE WHAT WAS NEEDED AS THE 210 KTS WAS CHANGED TO 170 KTS AS THE B737 WAS RAPIDLY OVERTAKEN AT 3-4 MI AT 1-2 O'CLOCK. THESE SPD CHANGES REQUIRED FULL SPD BRAKES, FLAP AND GEAR TO COMPLY WITH WHILE DSNDING. BETTER (MORE TIMELY) SPD CHANGES WERE NEEDED.

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.