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Captain of an MD11 overshot crossing fix on a STAR arrival due to taking the FMC out of the profile mode after setting the FMC to follow the STAR.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 432570 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199903 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : pdz.vor |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 12000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : sct.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-11 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Route In Use | arrival star : mitts.mitts1 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 150 |
| ASRS Report | 432570 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Cleared for the pdz 3 STAR to lax runway 25R ILS from overhead tnp. Captain flying leg, I followed along with my hard copy STAR for the numerous crossing restrs. Captain started descent in 'profile' so all altitude restraints to FMS would be honored. For some reason unknown to me, he selected 'level change' taking aircraft out of profile mode. 10000 ft was set in fcp and aircraft descended to 10000 ft prior to tejay and after pdz. We missed the 12000 ft restr at tejay by 1-2 mi (having left that early) and crossed tejay at 10000 ft. The insidious nature of changing from profile to level change (annunciator FMA color change only) contributed to lack of awareness that profile was no longer active. I think an audible 'no profile' warning should be incorporated so as to notify flight crew that 'profile' mode has been deactivated might/would help avoid a recurrence of this type.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF AN MD11 OVERSHOT XING FIX ON A STAR ARR DUE TO TAKING THE FMC OUT OF THE PROFILE MODE AFTER SETTING THE FMC TO FOLLOW THE STAR.
Narrative: CLRED FOR THE PDZ 3 STAR TO LAX RWY 25R ILS FROM OVERHEAD TNP. CAPT FLYING LEG, I FOLLOWED ALONG WITH MY HARD COPY STAR FOR THE NUMEROUS XING RESTRS. CAPT STARTED DSCNT IN 'PROFILE' SO ALL ALT RESTRAINTS TO FMS WOULD BE HONORED. FOR SOME REASON UNKNOWN TO ME, HE SELECTED 'LEVEL CHANGE' TAKING ACFT OUT OF PROFILE MODE. 10000 FT WAS SET IN FCP AND ACFT DSNDED TO 10000 FT PRIOR TO TEJAY AND AFTER PDZ. WE MISSED THE 12000 FT RESTR AT TEJAY BY 1-2 MI (HAVING LEFT THAT EARLY) AND CROSSED TEJAY AT 10000 FT. THE INSIDIOUS NATURE OF CHANGING FROM PROFILE TO LEVEL CHANGE (ANNUNCIATOR FMA COLOR CHANGE ONLY) CONTRIBUTED TO LACK OF AWARENESS THAT PROFILE WAS NO LONGER ACTIVE. I THINK AN AUDIBLE 'NO PROFILE' WARNING SHOULD BE INCORPORATED SO AS TO NOTIFY FLC THAT 'PROFILE' MODE HAS BEEN DEACTIVATED MIGHT/WOULD HELP AVOID A RECURRENCE OF THIS TYPE.
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.