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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Flight crew of a B737-300 failed to make a crossing altitude during descent due to not noticing that the mode control execute function had not activated and the captain, flying, had not rechked to assure that it was performing as directed.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 377570 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199708 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : lrp |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 12500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zny |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 2400 |
| ASRS Report | 377570 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
ATC had us keep speed at 310 KTS or greater. At 17000 ft they gave us 'cross lrp at 11000 ft.' I set 11000 ft in mode control panel and FMC unit. I pushed execute button but never noticed it didn't execute properly. About 5 mi from lrp I noticed we were still descending through 15000 ft. I went manual and maximum descent and was at 12500 ft as we crossed lrp and descending at about 4000 FPM due to the high speed. Solution would have been to double-check the FMC to be sure it executed. We were in visual conditions so our heads were outside the cockpit instead of inside. From now on I'll double-check.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF A B737-300 FAILED TO MAKE A XING ALT DURING DSCNT DUE TO NOT NOTICING THAT THE MODE CTL EXECUTE FUNCTION HAD NOT ACTIVATED AND THE CAPT, FLYING, HAD NOT RECHKED TO ASSURE THAT IT WAS PERFORMING AS DIRECTED.
Narrative: ATC HAD US KEEP SPD AT 310 KTS OR GREATER. AT 17000 FT THEY GAVE US 'CROSS LRP AT 11000 FT.' I SET 11000 FT IN MODE CTL PANEL AND FMC UNIT. I PUSHED EXECUTE BUTTON BUT NEVER NOTICED IT DIDN'T EXECUTE PROPERLY. ABOUT 5 MI FROM LRP I NOTICED WE WERE STILL DSNDING THROUGH 15000 FT. I WENT MANUAL AND MAX DSCNT AND WAS AT 12500 FT AS WE CROSSED LRP AND DSNDING AT ABOUT 4000 FPM DUE TO THE HIGH SPD. SOLUTION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO DOUBLE-CHK THE FMC TO BE SURE IT EXECUTED. WE WERE IN VISUAL CONDITIONS SO OUR HEADS WERE OUTSIDE THE COCKPIT INSTEAD OF INSIDE. FROM NOW ON I'LL DOUBLE-CHK.
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.