Flight crew of a B737-400 failed to descend in a timely manner to make an altitude crossing restr. FMC was not programmed with new descent altitude.

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Attributes
ACN	364000
Time
Date	199703
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ott
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 5500
ASRS Report	364000
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 non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Received descent clearance to cross jaybo intersection at 15000 ft. I (PNF) read back that clearance. FMC had 15000 ft at hedge intersection, which is 9 DME past jaybo intersection. As I was about to bring the error to the captain's attention, he brought down 15000 ft to the scratch pad. Being dusk, looking into the sun, and the glare making viewing his FMC difficult, I failed to confirm the change. Past jaybo, I checked the descent page and realized the FMC had not been changed and we had missed the restr. My inaction to confirm the proper crossing restr had been executed by the PF was the result of: 1) the PF was competent and not prone to making such a major mistake, therefore, leading me in assuming the correction was made. 2) intense glare making viewing the FMC difficult. 3) seeing the PF bring down 15000 ft to the scratch pad, I was confident he was aware of the error in the FMC. 4) 15000 ft is plainly noted on the arrival as the altitude to expect at jaybo, not hedge. 5) I assumed my readback of the proper restr was heard by the PF, in addition to ATC's instruction.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B737-400 FAILED TO DSND IN A TIMELY MANNER TO MAKE AN ALT XING RESTR. FMC WAS NOT PROGRAMMED WITH NEW DSCNT ALT.

Narrative: RECEIVED DSCNT CLRNC TO CROSS JAYBO INTXN AT 15000 FT. I (PNF) READ BACK THAT CLRNC. FMC HAD 15000 FT AT HEDGE INTXN, WHICH IS 9 DME PAST JAYBO INTXN. AS I WAS ABOUT TO BRING THE ERROR TO THE CAPT'S ATTN, HE BROUGHT DOWN 15000 FT TO THE SCRATCH PAD. BEING DUSK, LOOKING INTO THE SUN, AND THE GLARE MAKING VIEWING HIS FMC DIFFICULT, I FAILED TO CONFIRM THE CHANGE. PAST JAYBO, I CHKED THE DSCNT PAGE AND REALIZED THE FMC HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED AND WE HAD MISSED THE RESTR. MY INACTION TO CONFIRM THE PROPER XING RESTR HAD BEEN EXECUTED BY THE PF WAS THE RESULT OF: 1) THE PF WAS COMPETENT AND NOT PRONE TO MAKING SUCH A MAJOR MISTAKE, THEREFORE, LEADING ME IN ASSUMING THE CORRECTION WAS MADE. 2) INTENSE GLARE MAKING VIEWING THE FMC DIFFICULT. 3) SEEING THE PF BRING DOWN 15000 FT TO THE SCRATCH PAD, I WAS CONFIDENT HE WAS AWARE OF THE ERROR IN THE FMC. 4) 15000 FT IS PLAINLY NOTED ON THE ARR AS THE ALT TO EXPECT AT JAYBO, NOT HEDGE. 5) I ASSUMED MY READBACK OF THE PROPER RESTR WAS HEARD BY THE PF, IN ADDITION TO ATC'S INSTRUCTION.

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.