Flight crew of a DC9 failed to make crossing altitude during a profile descent due to distrs and com...

Attributes
ACN	420537
Time
Date	199811
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : yyz airport : yyz
State Reference	ON
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival : profile descent arrival other enroute airway : yyz
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 19200 flight time type : 5600
ASRS Report	420537
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
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 : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I believe there is an inherent problem with the toronto profile descent runway 24L&right. The profile descent gives pilots a range of 13000-17000 ft to cross waterloo VOR. Then ATC issues a clearance to cross guelf intersection at 11000 ft and 250 KTS. The distance from waterloo VOR to guelf intersection is only 9 mi. I believe they should change the crossing altitude at waterloo VOR to 13000 ft only. Not a range of 13000-17000 ft. If a pilot crosses waterloo at 17000 ft, he would have a very difficult time getting down 6000 ft and slowing at the same time to 250 KTS. Contributing factors: very talkative (interesting aviation conversation by the way) jump seat rider. Jump seat rider and first officer knew each other from past airline jobs. Relatively new first officer. He has 7 months with company. He had not been to yyz in 7 yrs. During a critical phase during the profile descent, the lead flight attendant came into the cockpit to see if we could call company to help find a passenger suitcase.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A DC9 FAILED TO MAKE XING ALT DURING A PROFILE DSCNT DUE TO DISTRS AND COMPLACENCY.

Narrative: I BELIEVE THERE IS AN INHERENT PROB WITH THE TORONTO PROFILE DSCNT RWY 24L&R. THE PROFILE DSCNT GIVES PLTS A RANGE OF 13000-17000 FT TO CROSS WATERLOO VOR. THEN ATC ISSUES A CLRNC TO CROSS GUELF INTXN AT 11000 FT AND 250 KTS. THE DISTANCE FROM WATERLOO VOR TO GUELF INTXN IS ONLY 9 MI. I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD CHANGE THE XING ALT AT WATERLOO VOR TO 13000 FT ONLY. NOT A RANGE OF 13000-17000 FT. IF A PLT CROSSES WATERLOO AT 17000 FT, HE WOULD HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT TIME GETTING DOWN 6000 FT AND SLOWING AT THE SAME TIME TO 250 KTS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: VERY TALKATIVE (INTERESTING AVIATION CONVERSATION BY THE WAY) JUMP SEAT RIDER. JUMP SEAT RIDER AND FO KNEW EACH OTHER FROM PAST AIRLINE JOBS. RELATIVELY NEW FO. HE HAS 7 MONTHS WITH COMPANY. HE HAD NOT BEEN TO YYZ IN 7 YRS. DURING A CRITICAL PHASE DURING THE PROFILE DSCNT, THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT CAME INTO THE COCKPIT TO SEE IF WE COULD CALL COMPANY TO HELP FIND A PAX SUITCASE.

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.

Flight crew of a DC9 failed to make crossing altitude during a profile descent due to distrs and complacency.