Flight crew of B747-400 misses assigned crossing restr by 1600 ft.

Attributes
ACN	393240
Time
Date	199802
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 195 flight time total : 18800 flight time type : 4200
ASRS Report	393240
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Copilot was PF. He was descending to cross level FL240 at 65 mi prior polar intersection on STAR into detroit metropolitan airport. We were the second crew on 12 hour 51 min flight from seoul to detroit. We passed FL250 at the 65 mi point at 1800 FPM descent, leveled at FL240 about 61 mi prior to polar. We missed FL240 because copilot wasn't aggressive enough in using 'speed mode' to meet the crossing restr. Our speed of 380 KTS was caught by the autothrottle system and began to add thrust prior to catching the altitude. By the time the copilot increased speed, it was too late to make the altitude crossing limit. I should have taken over prior to the above and used the speed brakes to make the altitude. It was a case of relying on the copilot's judgement and being too much of a 'good guy' in not taking over control of the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF B747-400 MISSES ASSIGNED XING RESTR BY 1600 FT.

Narrative: COPLT WAS PF. HE WAS DSNDING TO CROSS LEVEL FL240 AT 65 MI PRIOR POLAR INTXN ON STAR INTO DETROIT METRO ARPT. WE WERE THE SECOND CREW ON 12 HR 51 MIN FLT FROM SEOUL TO DETROIT. WE PASSED FL250 AT THE 65 MI POINT AT 1800 FPM DSCNT, LEVELED AT FL240 ABOUT 61 MI PRIOR TO POLAR. WE MISSED FL240 BECAUSE COPLT WASN'T AGGRESSIVE ENOUGH IN USING 'SPD MODE' TO MEET THE XING RESTR. OUR SPD OF 380 KTS WAS CAUGHT BY THE AUTOTHROTTLE SYS AND BEGAN TO ADD THRUST PRIOR TO CATCHING THE ALT. BY THE TIME THE COPLT INCREASED SPD, IT WAS TOO LATE TO MAKE THE ALT XING LIMIT. I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN OVER PRIOR TO THE ABOVE AND USED THE SPD BRAKES TO MAKE THE ALT. IT WAS A CASE OF RELYING ON THE COPLT'S JUDGEMENT AND BEING TOO MUCH OF A 'GOOD GUY' IN NOT TAKING OVER CTL OF THE ACFT.

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.