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Flight crew used FMS improperly causing aircraft to fail to capture required descent profile. This resulted in missing an altitude crossing restr.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 356520 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199612 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ard |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 13000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zny |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-88 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival star : star |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 150 |
| ASRS Report | 356520 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 700 |
| ASRS Report | 356522 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On the minks 1 arrival to lga we were given kerno waypoint at FL260 which we executed normally. Center then gave us a crossing restr of somto at 13000 ft which I selected in the altitude window and programmed in the FMS. After completing the programming I failed to ensure the aircraft captured the top of descent point properly by becoming distracted when I should have checked the descent. The aircraft did not capture the descent path and as a result, center had to call us and tell us to descend immediately. We missed the crossing restr by several mi. The center controller was annoyed but expressed no concern that we would conflict with other traffic. I have learned that once again, FMS aircraft can bite you by not paying attention at critical points. I will from now on always ensure the top of descent captures, not just that it's 'in the box.'
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC USED FMS IMPROPERLY CAUSING ACFT TO FAIL TO CAPTURE REQUIRED DSCNT PROFILE. THIS RESULTED IN MISSING AN ALT XING RESTR.
Narrative: ON THE MINKS 1 ARR TO LGA WE WERE GIVEN KERNO WAYPOINT AT FL260 WHICH WE EXECUTED NORMALLY. CTR THEN GAVE US A XING RESTR OF SOMTO AT 13000 FT WHICH I SELECTED IN THE ALT WINDOW AND PROGRAMMED IN THE FMS. AFTER COMPLETING THE PROGRAMMING I FAILED TO ENSURE THE ACFT CAPTURED THE TOP OF DSCNT POINT PROPERLY BY BECOMING DISTRACTED WHEN I SHOULD HAVE CHKED THE DSCNT. THE ACFT DID NOT CAPTURE THE DSCNT PATH AND AS A RESULT, CTR HAD TO CALL US AND TELL US TO DSND IMMEDIATELY. WE MISSED THE XING RESTR BY SEVERAL MI. THE CTR CTLR WAS ANNOYED BUT EXPRESSED NO CONCERN THAT WE WOULD CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC. I HAVE LEARNED THAT ONCE AGAIN, FMS ACFT CAN BITE YOU BY NOT PAYING ATTN AT CRITICAL POINTS. I WILL FROM NOW ON ALWAYS ENSURE THE TOP OF DSCNT CAPTURES, NOT JUST THAT IT'S 'IN THE BOX.'
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.