An air carrier B737 flight crew crossed a waypoint too high while performing a STAR procedure. The flight crew blames their workload and a potential conflict.

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Attributes
ACN	396110
Time
Date	199803
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : orw
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	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 : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 14800 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	396110
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	396241
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While descending on tedy 2 STAR into pvd, complied with 2 crossing restrs, but due to strong (77 KTS) tailwinds we were well above profile for final fix (wipor) on STAR. Requested lower altitude and were stepped down in 1000 ft increments to 17000 ft. High workload (pressurization MEL, SIGMET for moderate to severe turbulence, poor ATIS reception, approach, flight attendant and passenger briefings, airport runway analysis for non standard runway) required 1 pilot to be off ATC twice during procedure. Another clearance issued to 13000 ft. While 1 pilot off ATC PF advised to plan on wipor at 11000 ft and 250 KTS. TA occurred at about 15000 ft on traffic at 2 O'clock position and 5 mi. Descent rate shallowed to prevent an RA. Traffic cleared off right approximately 5 mi. Still high on profile, busy frequency, tailwind, numerous blocked radio xmissions, pressurization MEL, and 1 pilot being out of the communications look at a critical time contributed to misunderstanding of actual clearance and wipor restr.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B737 FLC CROSSED A WAYPOINT TOO HIGH WHILE PERFORMING A STAR PROC. THE FLC BLAMES THEIR WORKLOAD AND A POTENTIAL CONFLICT.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING ON TEDY 2 STAR INTO PVD, COMPLIED WITH 2 XING RESTRS, BUT DUE TO STRONG (77 KTS) TAILWINDS WE WERE WELL ABOVE PROFILE FOR FINAL FIX (WIPOR) ON STAR. REQUESTED LOWER ALT AND WERE STEPPED DOWN IN 1000 FT INCREMENTS TO 17000 FT. HIGH WORKLOAD (PRESSURIZATION MEL, SIGMET FOR MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB, POOR ATIS RECEPTION, APCH, FLT ATTENDANT AND PAX BRIEFINGS, ARPT RWY ANALYSIS FOR NON STANDARD RWY) REQUIRED 1 PLT TO BE OFF ATC TWICE DURING PROC. ANOTHER CLRNC ISSUED TO 13000 FT. WHILE 1 PLT OFF ATC PF ADVISED TO PLAN ON WIPOR AT 11000 FT AND 250 KTS. TA OCCURRED AT ABOUT 15000 FT ON TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK POS AND 5 MI. DSCNT RATE SHALLOWED TO PREVENT AN RA. TFC CLRED OFF R APPROX 5 MI. STILL HIGH ON PROFILE, BUSY FREQ, TAILWIND, NUMEROUS BLOCKED RADIO XMISSIONS, PRESSURIZATION MEL, AND 1 PLT BEING OUT OF THE COMS LOOK AT A CRITICAL TIME CONTRIBUTED TO MISUNDERSTANDING OF ACTUAL CLRNC AND WIPOR RESTR.

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.