<< >> NASA ASRS Report 360650, February 1997

Altitude deviation altitude undershot. Descent started late in air carrier medium large transport. Altitude crossing restr not met.

Attributes
ACN	360650
Time
Date	199702
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sfk
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 5600
ASRS Report	360650
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	360749
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight was given clearance to cross sfk at FL240 approximately 70 NM northeast of sfk. Normal profile descent (3:1) from FL280 to FL240 would require descent to be started at 15-20 NM northeast of sfk. Due to strong headwinds, approximately 10 mins would elapse before starting the descent. In that time, pilots were distraction and forgot to descend until prompted by ATC. We leveled at FL240 5 NM southwest of sfk. Correction action: please do not give such crossing restrs so far in advance to non FMC aircraft. Supplemental information from acn 360749: we were flying into about 80 KT headwinds which reduced our ground speed to about 5.5 mi per min. I had gone to the lavatory and was standing in cockpit doorway, distracting the first officer with an offer of hot coffee at the time he should have begun his descent. We crossed stonyfork VOR a little high -- arriving at FL240 5 mi southwest of stonyfork. Captain needs to maintain situational awareness at all times.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT UNDERSHOT. DSCNT STARTED LATE IN ACR MLG. ALT XING RESTR NOT MET.

Narrative: FLT WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS SFK AT FL240 APPROX 70 NM NE OF SFK. NORMAL PROFILE DSCNT (3:1) FROM FL280 TO FL240 WOULD REQUIRE DSCNT TO BE STARTED AT 15-20 NM NE OF SFK. DUE TO STRONG HEADWINDS, APPROX 10 MINS WOULD ELAPSE BEFORE STARTING THE DSCNT. IN THAT TIME, PLTS WERE DISTR AND FORGOT TO DSND UNTIL PROMPTED BY ATC. WE LEVELED AT FL240 5 NM SW OF SFK. CORRECTION ACTION: PLEASE DO NOT GIVE SUCH XING RESTRS SO FAR IN ADVANCE TO NON FMC ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 360749: WE WERE FLYING INTO ABOUT 80 KT HEADWINDS WHICH REDUCED OUR GND SPD TO ABOUT 5.5 MI PER MIN. I HAD GONE TO THE LAVATORY AND WAS STANDING IN COCKPIT DOORWAY, DISTRACTING THE FO WITH AN OFFER OF HOT COFFEE AT THE TIME HE SHOULD HAVE BEGUN HIS DSCNT. WE CROSSED STONYFORK VOR A LITTLE HIGH -- ARRIVING AT FL240 5 MI SW OF STONYFORK. CAPT NEEDS TO MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AT ALL TIMES.

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.