B737-300 crosses fuelr intersection low at lax.

Attributes
ACN	357600
Time
Date	199701
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ilax airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7600 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3800
ASRS Report	357600
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
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
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We were on the civet 1 arrival and cleared the civet 1 to arnes then the ILS runway 25L. After arnes I switched to VOR/localizer with the lax localizer tuned in. We showed right on the GS at approximately 11000 ft (although it is unusable that far out). I descended along the step-down fixes, but in retrospect, with the GS indicating I may have descended below the 8000 ft step at fuelr intersection. This was brought to my attention a few days later in discussion with other pilots, this approach. Apparently the GS crosses fuelr intersection at about 7800 ft instead of the required 8000 ft. I was using the GS in conjunction with the step-down fixes but may have followed the GS more than I thought. It's difficult to ignore a GS needle which is so close to all the step-down fixes. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: pilot was mainly concerned with flying the GS. He was aware there were crossing altitude restrs, but following GS was of primary importance. Pilot indicated that if the instructions were given to be cleared for the ILS runway 25, but along with the clearance, the instructional advisory, 'comply with all altitude restrs,' it would have made things easier to be exact in performing a proper approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CROSSES FUELR INTXN LOW AT LAX.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE CIVET 1 ARR AND CLRED THE CIVET 1 TO ARNES THEN THE ILS RWY 25L. AFTER ARNES I SWITCHED TO VOR/LOC WITH THE LAX LOC TUNED IN. WE SHOWED RIGHT ON THE GS AT APPROX 11000 FT (ALTHOUGH IT IS UNUSABLE THAT FAR OUT). I DSNDED ALONG THE STEP-DOWN FIXES, BUT IN RETROSPECT, WITH THE GS INDICATING I MAY HAVE DSNDED BELOW THE 8000 FT STEP AT FUELR INTXN. THIS WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTN A FEW DAYS LATER IN DISCUSSION WITH OTHER PLTS, THIS APCH. APPARENTLY THE GS CROSSES FUELR INTXN AT ABOUT 7800 FT INSTEAD OF THE REQUIRED 8000 FT. I WAS USING THE GS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE STEP-DOWN FIXES BUT MAY HAVE FOLLOWED THE GS MORE THAN I THOUGHT. IT'S DIFFICULT TO IGNORE A GS NEEDLE WHICH IS SO CLOSE TO ALL THE STEP-DOWN FIXES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PLT WAS MAINLY CONCERNED WITH FLYING THE GS. HE WAS AWARE THERE WERE XING ALT RESTRS, BUT FOLLOWING GS WAS OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE. PLT INDICATED THAT IF THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN TO BE CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 25, BUT ALONG WITH THE CLRNC, THE INSTRUCTIONAL ADVISORY, 'COMPLY WITH ALL ALT RESTRS,' IT WOULD HAVE MADE THINGS EASIER TO BE EXACT IN PERFORMING A PROPER APCH.

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.