<< >> NASA ASRS Report 350660, October 1996

Altitude deviation altitude crossing restr not met in a flight crew deviation in an SF340 during STAR arrival procedure into dfw. New procedure.

Attributes
ACN	350660
Time
Date	199610
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SF 340A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	350660
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route from sjt to dfw at 17000 ft, approximately 30 mi from jen VOR, center cleared us to cross fever intersection at 7000 ft. The glen rose STAR is new and requires tracking to the jen VOR then switch to the dfw VOR for DME fixes for the various intxns. I switched to the dfw VOR before crossing jen so I could see the DME for the fever intersection. I started down right away initially at 600 FPM then increased the rate gradually to 1000-2000 FPM then 3500 FPM toward the last of the descent. It appeared all was going well and watched the dfw DME, but as we got closer to the 45 DME fix for the fever intersection, it looked like the mi were passing much faster than normal. It is not unusual for the DME in the saab to get behind, then show the mi clicking by at a much faster rate than normal as it catches up. Apparently, we were closer to the fever intersection than we thought. Ultimately, we passed the fever intersection 3000 ft too high. We realized that we weren't going to make the crossing and should have informed ATC. As ZFW passed us to approach he mentioned that we were 3000 ft high. To prevent this in the future, we should closely watch the DME to see if it gets 'stuck' and to see if it correlates with other vors and dmes. We should have informed ATC of our inability to make the crossing even though no conflict arose.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT XING RESTR NOT MET IN A FLC DEV IN AN SF340 DURING STAR ARR PROC INTO DFW. NEW PROC.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM SJT TO DFW AT 17000 FT, APPROX 30 MI FROM JEN VOR, CTR CLRED US TO CROSS FEVER INTXN AT 7000 FT. THE GLEN ROSE STAR IS NEW AND REQUIRES TRACKING TO THE JEN VOR THEN SWITCH TO THE DFW VOR FOR DME FIXES FOR THE VARIOUS INTXNS. I SWITCHED TO THE DFW VOR BEFORE XING JEN SO I COULD SEE THE DME FOR THE FEVER INTXN. I STARTED DOWN RIGHT AWAY INITIALLY AT 600 FPM THEN INCREASED THE RATE GRADUALLY TO 1000-2000 FPM THEN 3500 FPM TOWARD THE LAST OF THE DSCNT. IT APPEARED ALL WAS GOING WELL AND WATCHED THE DFW DME, BUT AS WE GOT CLOSER TO THE 45 DME FIX FOR THE FEVER INTXN, IT LOOKED LIKE THE MI WERE PASSING MUCH FASTER THAN NORMAL. IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR THE DME IN THE SAAB TO GET BEHIND, THEN SHOW THE MI CLICKING BY AT A MUCH FASTER RATE THAN NORMAL AS IT CATCHES UP. APPARENTLY, WE WERE CLOSER TO THE FEVER INTXN THAN WE THOUGHT. ULTIMATELY, WE PASSED THE FEVER INTXN 3000 FT TOO HIGH. WE REALIZED THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO MAKE THE XING AND SHOULD HAVE INFORMED ATC. AS ZFW PASSED US TO APCH HE MENTIONED THAT WE WERE 3000 FT HIGH. TO PREVENT THIS IN THE FUTURE, WE SHOULD CLOSELY WATCH THE DME TO SEE IF IT GETS 'STUCK' AND TO SEE IF IT CORRELATES WITH OTHER VORS AND DMES. WE SHOULD HAVE INFORMED ATC OF OUR INABILITY TO MAKE THE XING EVEN THOUGH NO CONFLICT AROSE.

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.