Air carrier medium large transport flight crew fails to make an altitude crossing restr. First officer, PF, improperly programmed the FMC in the descent page, using the wrong intersection. PIC, PNF, was using the wrong VOR DME for distance information.

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Attributes
ACN	380906
Time
Date	199709
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tnv airport : hou
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 12500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu tracon : hou
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 220
ASRS Report	380906
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 8800 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	380988
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance 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:

(Struk arrival hou, hobby.) cleared to cross marit at 10000 ft. 10000 ft restr placed in wrong line (wrong intersection) -- struk. Initial descent was begun at an appropriate distance, but PNF switched VOR to next navigation aid, lost back-up check for altitude crossing. PF got behind aircraft. Center and approach notified as soon as possible as to deviation and volunteered to turn if needed. No comments made by either center or approach. Aircraft crossed marit intersection about 2500 ft high. Hi-tech equipment -- system overload on low-tech user. Much of our new technology actually gets in the way of good solid aviating. Supplemental information from acn 380988: center controller asked if we would make 'marit at ten.' PNF initially responded affirmative as we double checked our progress. I discovered I had entered crossing restr (10000 ft/250 KTS) in FMC at struk intersection versus marit. PF (me) was using LNAV/descent page. PNF had switched VOR to hobby versus tnv and lost awareness of crossing progress. 13TH hour of long day contributed. Inadequate xchk by crew.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG FLC FAILS TO MAKE AN ALT XING RESTR. FO, PF, IMPROPERLY PROGRAMMED THE FMC IN THE DSCNT PAGE, USING THE WRONG INTXN. PIC, PNF, WAS USING THE WRONG VOR DME FOR DISTANCE INFO.

Narrative: (STRUK ARR HOU, HOBBY.) CLRED TO CROSS MARIT AT 10000 FT. 10000 FT RESTR PLACED IN WRONG LINE (WRONG INTXN) -- STRUK. INITIAL DSCNT WAS BEGUN AT AN APPROPRIATE DISTANCE, BUT PNF SWITCHED VOR TO NEXT NAV AID, LOST BACK-UP CHK FOR ALT XING. PF GOT BEHIND ACFT. CTR AND APCH NOTIFIED ASAP AS TO DEV AND VOLUNTEERED TO TURN IF NEEDED. NO COMMENTS MADE BY EITHER CTR OR APCH. ACFT CROSSED MARIT INTXN ABOUT 2500 FT HIGH. HI-TECH EQUIP -- SYS OVERLOAD ON LOW-TECH USER. MUCH OF OUR NEW TECHNOLOGY ACTUALLY GETS IN THE WAY OF GOOD SOLID AVIATING. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 380988: CTR CTLR ASKED IF WE WOULD MAKE 'MARIT AT TEN.' PNF INITIALLY RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVE AS WE DOUBLE CHKED OUR PROGRESS. I DISCOVERED I HAD ENTERED XING RESTR (10000 FT/250 KTS) IN FMC AT STRUK INTXN VERSUS MARIT. PF (ME) WAS USING LNAV/DSCNT PAGE. PNF HAD SWITCHED VOR TO HOBBY VERSUS TNV AND LOST AWARENESS OF XING PROGRESS. 13TH HR OF LONG DAY CONTRIBUTED. INADEQUATE XCHK BY CREW.

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.