MD80 crew missed a descent altitude crossing restr.

Attributes
ACN	404979
Time
Date	199806
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : csn
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18500 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
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 : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	404979
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	404980
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was the first officer/PF on the nottingham 3 arrival to bwi. We were given a clearance to descend to FL190 at csn. While in the low 200's we were given a new clearance to descend to 150 ft. Later the controller came back on the radio and said the crossing of FL190 at csn still applies. The captain acknowledged since he was the PNF. At approximately FL210 and 10-15 mi from csn I gave him the aircraft so I could make the descent PA. When I came back in the loop he said we had missed our crossing at csn, apparently a few ft too low. He had understood the clearance to mean csn at or below FL190. It appears we had crossed at about 18700 to 18500 ft. I took control of the aircraft back from him and continued our descent to 15000 ft. There appears to have been no traffic conflict and no TCASII alerts. Looks like late night, long day, readback, hearback error applies in this case. Lesson learned when a controller modifies a crossing restr confirm exactly how he wants it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW MISSED A DSCNT ALT XING RESTR.

Narrative: I WAS THE FO/PF ON THE NOTTINGHAM 3 ARR TO BWI. WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO DSND TO FL190 AT CSN. WHILE IN THE LOW 200'S WE WERE GIVEN A NEW CLRNC TO DSND TO 150 FT. LATER THE CTLR CAME BACK ON THE RADIO AND SAID THE XING OF FL190 AT CSN STILL APPLIES. THE CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED SINCE HE WAS THE PNF. AT APPROX FL210 AND 10-15 MI FROM CSN I GAVE HIM THE ACFT SO I COULD MAKE THE DSCNT PA. WHEN I CAME BACK IN THE LOOP HE SAID WE HAD MISSED OUR XING AT CSN, APPARENTLY A FEW FT TOO LOW. HE HAD UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC TO MEAN CSN AT OR BELOW FL190. IT APPEARS WE HAD CROSSED AT ABOUT 18700 TO 18500 FT. I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT BACK FROM HIM AND CONTINUED OUR DSCNT TO 15000 FT. THERE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN NO TFC CONFLICT AND NO TCASII ALERTS. LOOKS LIKE LATE NIGHT, LONG DAY, READBACK, HEARBACK ERROR APPLIES IN THIS CASE. LESSON LEARNED WHEN A CTLR MODIFIES A XING RESTR CONFIRM EXACTLY HOW HE WANTS IT.

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.