<< >> NASA ASRS Report 361706, February 1997

Flight crew of an MD80 undershot a descent crossing restr due to a delayed clearance by ATC which made it difficult for them to meet the restr.

Attributes
ACN	361706
Time
Date	199702
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fim airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11800
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : zla
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6530 flight time type : 3967
ASRS Report	361706
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were flying the moorpark 3 arrival to lax with lax landing to the east. Traffic was getting backed up, and center frequency was busy. We were held up too long by ZLA and the PF kept the speed up. We were finally given the paula crossing restr (11000 ft, 250 KTS) at the last min. We crossed paula at 11800 ft, 250 KTS. To prevent this from recurring: 1) I should refuse the clearance if it looks like we possibly can't meet the restrs. 2) advise the PF to slow down earlier when we're being held up to make the crossing restr easier. 3) I think these crossing restrs should be assigned by ATC early in the descent. If the clearance is delayed, a less restrictive clearance should be assigned.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MD80 UNDERSHOT A DSCNT XING RESTR DUE TO A DELAYED CLRNC BY ATC WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO MEET THE RESTR.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING THE MOORPARK 3 ARR TO LAX WITH LAX LNDG TO THE E. TFC WAS GETTING BACKED UP, AND CTR FREQ WAS BUSY. WE WERE HELD UP TOO LONG BY ZLA AND THE PF KEPT THE SPD UP. WE WERE FINALLY GIVEN THE PAULA XING RESTR (11000 FT, 250 KTS) AT THE LAST MIN. WE CROSSED PAULA AT 11800 FT, 250 KTS. TO PREVENT THIS FROM RECURRING: 1) I SHOULD REFUSE THE CLRNC IF IT LOOKS LIKE WE POSSIBLY CAN'T MEET THE RESTRS. 2) ADVISE THE PF TO SLOW DOWN EARLIER WHEN WE'RE BEING HELD UP TO MAKE THE XING RESTR EASIER. 3) I THINK THESE XING RESTRS SHOULD BE ASSIGNED BY ATC EARLY IN THE DSCNT. IF THE CLRNC IS DELAYED, A LESS RESTRICTIVE CLRNC SHOULD BE ASSIGNED.

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.