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Large transport aircraft cleared to cross the fix at 8000 ft, then descend to 4000 ft. PF, captain, commenced descent immediately, but returned back to assigned after 500 ft deviation. Reporter claims the flight crew was fatigued causing loss of attentiveness.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 364620 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199703 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lax |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 8000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : lax |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 250 |
| ASRS Report | 354620 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Arrival approach controller cleared our aircraft to follow company DC10 for visual approach to runway 7L at lax. We had company aircraft in sight and were following that aircraft when controller issued instructions to 'cross smo VOR at 8000 ft then descend and maintain 4000 ft.' PF began to descend below 8000 ft before reaching smo VOR, but noticed altitude excursion error and corrected quickly back to 8000 ft MSL. Crew of 3, all were experiencing fatigue and loss of attentiveness. Pilot and copilot had flown a trip previous to this assigned trip.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LGT ACFT CLRED TO CROSS THE FIX AT 8000 FT, THEN DSND TO 4000 FT. PF, CAPT, COMMENCED DSCNT IMMEDIATELY, BUT RETURNED BACK TO ASSIGNED AFTER 500 FT DEV. RPTR CLAIMS THE FLC WAS FATIGUED CAUSING LOSS OF ATTENTIVENESS.
Narrative: ARR APCH CTLR CLRED OUR ACFT TO FOLLOW COMPANY DC10 FOR VISUAL APCH TO RWY 7L AT LAX. WE HAD COMPANY ACFT IN SIGHT AND WERE FOLLOWING THAT ACFT WHEN CTLR ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO 'CROSS SMO VOR AT 8000 FT THEN DSND AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT.' PF BEGAN TO DSND BELOW 8000 FT BEFORE REACHING SMO VOR, BUT NOTICED ALT EXCURSION ERROR AND CORRECTED QUICKLY BACK TO 8000 FT MSL. CREW OF 3, ALL WERE EXPERIENCING FATIGUE AND LOSS OF ATTENTIVENESS. PLT AND COPLT HAD FLOWN A TRIP PREVIOUS TO THIS ASSIGNED TRIP.
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.