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Medium large transport aircraft with crossing altitude restr in descent was high on profile and was not captured by FMC. Flight crew requested and received a 360 degree turn to lose altitude in order to make restr.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 397100 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199803 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : pxr |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 16000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab |
| 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 airway : zab |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 397100 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were cleared to cross plsnt intersection (pxr 321 degree radial 35 DME) at 12000 ft and 280 KTS. The aircraft was in VNAV and appeared to be gradually descending to 12000 ft while intercepting the descent profile. Apparently it missed the profile and we were way high and fast. We were able to get a 360 degree and descent to the fix from ZAB prior to handoff. Had we been able to get under the profile and not try to intercept it from above, the flight path would have been captured more easily. Contributing factors include my getting the ATIS and troubleshooting some minor unrelated electrical malfunctions. I could have queried the captain as to what exactly he wanted the airplane to do. As it was, it initially appeared that we were going to make the restr without a problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MLG ACFT WITH XING ALT RESTR IN DSCNT WAS HIGH ON PROFILE AND WAS NOT CAPTURED BY FMC. FLC REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A 360 DEG TURN TO LOSE ALT IN ORDER TO MAKE RESTR.
Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS PLSNT INTXN (PXR 321 DEG RADIAL 35 DME) AT 12000 FT AND 280 KTS. THE ACFT WAS IN VNAV AND APPEARED TO BE GRADUALLY DSNDING TO 12000 FT WHILE INTERCEPTING THE DSCNT PROFILE. APPARENTLY IT MISSED THE PROFILE AND WE WERE WAY HIGH AND FAST. WE WERE ABLE TO GET A 360 DEG AND DSCNT TO THE FIX FROM ZAB PRIOR TO HDOF. HAD WE BEEN ABLE TO GET UNDER THE PROFILE AND NOT TRY TO INTERCEPT IT FROM ABOVE, THE FLT PATH WOULD HAVE BEEN CAPTURED MORE EASILY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE MY GETTING THE ATIS AND TROUBLESHOOTING SOME MINOR UNRELATED ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS. I COULD HAVE QUERIED THE CAPT AS TO WHAT EXACTLY HE WANTED THE AIRPLANE TO DO. AS IT WAS, IT INITIALLY APPEARED THAT WE WERE GOING TO MAKE THE RESTR WITHOUT A PROB.
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.