 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Flight crew of an MD88 failed to meet a descent altitude crossing restr due to lack of making the appropriate programming of the FMS and monitoring the aircraft location in relation to the crossing fix.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 383466 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199710 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : har |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 29000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zny |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-600, -700, -800 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other arrival star : star |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 10750 flight time type : 3025 |
| ASRS Report | 383466 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 3300 |
| ASRS Report | 383530 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| 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:
We were on the bunts one arrival east of jst at FL330. ZNY cleared us to cross 40 mi west of har at FL250. The FMS would not accept the altitude restr as stated, ie, 'har/-40,' because of a charted fix (lomon) between the restr fix and har. In the process of attempting to determine where the restr fix was relative to lomon so that we could enter the crossing restr into the FMS, we substituted a distance of 20 mi for the correct distance of 40 mi from har. ZNY called and asked if we would be able to make the altitude restr. Since our navigation displays showed we were still short of our TOD (top of descent), I responded in the affirmative. Center issued a frequency change to another center frequency. While changing frequencys, I realized our error. We immediately began a rapid descent. I checked in on the next frequency and reported we would be unable to make the crossing restr. (We passed over the restr fix at approximately FL290.) center issued a revised descent clearance to cross har at 17000 ft. There was never an indication of a conflict from either ATC or TCASII.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF AN MD88 FAILED TO MEET A DSCNT ALT XING RESTR DUE TO LACK OF MAKING THE APPROPRIATE PROGRAMMING OF THE FMS AND MONITORING THE ACFT LOCATION IN RELATION TO THE XING FIX.
Narrative: WE WERE ON THE BUNTS ONE ARR E OF JST AT FL330. ZNY CLRED US TO CROSS 40 MI W OF HAR AT FL250. THE FMS WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE ALT RESTR AS STATED, IE, 'HAR/-40,' BECAUSE OF A CHARTED FIX (LOMON) BTWN THE RESTR FIX AND HAR. IN THE PROCESS OF ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE WHERE THE RESTR FIX WAS RELATIVE TO LOMON SO THAT WE COULD ENTER THE XING RESTR INTO THE FMS, WE SUBSTITUTED A DISTANCE OF 20 MI FOR THE CORRECT DISTANCE OF 40 MI FROM HAR. ZNY CALLED AND ASKED IF WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE THE ALT RESTR. SINCE OUR NAV DISPLAYS SHOWED WE WERE STILL SHORT OF OUR TOD (TOP OF DSCNT), I RESPONDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. CTR ISSUED A FREQ CHANGE TO ANOTHER CTR FREQ. WHILE CHANGING FREQS, I REALIZED OUR ERROR. WE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A RAPID DSCNT. I CHKED IN ON THE NEXT FREQ AND RPTED WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO MAKE THE XING RESTR. (WE PASSED OVER THE RESTR FIX AT APPROX FL290.) CTR ISSUED A REVISED DSCNT CLRNC TO CROSS HAR AT 17000 FT. THERE WAS NEVER AN INDICATION OF A CONFLICT FROM EITHER ATC OR TCASII.
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.