<< >> NASA ASRS Report 413000, August 1998

A descending B737-200 flight crew fails to make their altitude crossing restr. Crew not practicing CRM in a specific level of coordination.

Attributes
ACN	413000
Time
Date	199808
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : pit
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	413000
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot 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:

On the wiske 1 arrival into pit, ATC told us to cross wiske at 10000 ft. I set 10000 ft in the MCP, pointed to the altitude and verbalized, '10000 ft,' as did the captain. The captain soon after started a descent towards 10000 ft. I noticed through about 13000 ft that it was going to be close to make the restr. I verbalized jokingly 'is he gonna make it?' hoping the captain would get the message. The captain started to level off at 11000 ft just outside wiske, when he realized his mistake. He immediately continued the descent but only achieved about 10900 ft before crossing wiske. The thing I found disturbing about this incident was the fact that I was aware of the problem early on, but instead of being direct, I tried to step around the point and let the captain figure it out himself. This was wrong, and next time I will be more direct and forceful in pointing out the discrepancy.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DSNDING B737-200 FLC FAILS TO MAKE THEIR ALT XING RESTR. CREW NOT PRACTICING CRM IN A SPECIFIC LEVEL OF COORD.

Narrative: ON THE WISKE 1 ARR INTO PIT, ATC TOLD US TO CROSS WISKE AT 10000 FT. I SET 10000 FT IN THE MCP, POINTED TO THE ALT AND VERBALIZED, '10000 FT,' AS DID THE CAPT. THE CAPT SOON AFTER STARTED A DSCNT TOWARDS 10000 FT. I NOTICED THROUGH ABOUT 13000 FT THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE CLOSE TO MAKE THE RESTR. I VERBALIZED JOKINGLY 'IS HE GONNA MAKE IT?' HOPING THE CAPT WOULD GET THE MESSAGE. THE CAPT STARTED TO LEVEL OFF AT 11000 FT JUST OUTSIDE WISKE, WHEN HE REALIZED HIS MISTAKE. HE IMMEDIATELY CONTINUED THE DSCNT BUT ONLY ACHIEVED ABOUT 10900 FT BEFORE XING WISKE. THE THING I FOUND DISTURBING ABOUT THIS INCIDENT WAS THE FACT THAT I WAS AWARE OF THE PROB EARLY ON, BUT INSTEAD OF BEING DIRECT, I TRIED TO STEP AROUND THE POINT AND LET THE CAPT FIGURE IT OUT HIMSELF. THIS WAS WRONG, AND NEXT TIME I WILL BE MORE DIRECT AND FORCEFUL IN POINTING OUT THE DISCREPANCY.

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.